Era of Change
by Rhys Davies
Summary: UPDATED! Crossover with Transformers. In the year AC198 the Preventers unearth an army of mobile suits beneath a dormant Volcano. But there's more to this than meets the eye, and a great evil looms ever closer.
1. Prologue

ERA OF CHANGE  
  
DISCLAIMER:  
  
Gundam Wing, Transformers and any other material referred to in this fic are not my property and no monetary gain is being made by this work which is purely for purposes of entertainment.  
  
PROLOUGE: ALPHA  
  
With high expectations, in the 21st century, a large portion of mankind leaves Earth, to begin a new life in space colonies. However, the Earth Sphere Alliance government gains substantial military power, and uses this to bring the colonies under it's dictorial rule, in the name of justice, and peace.  
  
In the year After Colony 195, rebel citizens of certain colonies start a scheme known as Operation Meteor, with the goals of bringing new weapons to earth to destroy the corrupt militaristic government and it's cruel armed forces, disguising them as shooting stars.  
  
These weapons take the form of five massive humanoid robots known as Gundam mobile suits, each with it's own young, but highly skilled pilot, each trained in the art of war. For many months, these pilots fight a gureilla war against the government and the military organisation known as OZ. Fighting for peace, yet branded as terrorists, they face a bleak future.  
  
In the year AC 196, this war is ended, and a temporary peace descends on the Eartb Sphere. However, there is always those who are not satisfied with peace, and fight for their own gain. A large revolution by the militaristic Barton Foundation proves this fact, and also the fact that in order to maintain peace, weapons will always be required, and a special organisation, the preventers are set up to gaurd this peace. As the ultimate weapons, the Gundams and their pilots are incorporated into this group.  
  
The year now, is AC 198 and the future for mankind seems full of peace and promise under the guiding hand of the peace-promoting Vice Foriegn Minister Relena Dorlain..  
  
But one thing no-one has planned for, is a threat originating from beyond known space... 


	2. Discovery

CHAPTER ONE. DISCOVERY.  
  
DISCLAIMER: Once again, if I owned Transformers or Gundam Wing, this fic would be being made into a TV show.  
  
AUTHOR NOTE: Currently, this fic is more GW than TF. Gradually this will change as the Autobots and Decepticons wake up. I also will not be likely to update until I've finished writing this fic. However, if I get a lot of reviews, I might change my mind.  
  
Mount St. Hillary had not erupted in over 300 years and was considered dormant by the world government. So it was hardly surprising that eventually, people would seek to exploit its rich geological treasures.  
  
One thing that had made St. Hillary so attractive to mining companies was that many of the ores needed to manufacture the super-alloy gundanium could only be found in volcanic rock. Rich seams of diamonds and other precious stones also promised to make any enterprise with the tenacity to mine the mountain very rich indeed. And it had.  
  
But today, the miners that had hacked and tore out the heart of the mountain, by their blood and the sweat of their labours, were about to unearth a treasure of a very different nature.  
  
*  
  
The figure flew over the Rocky Mountains with a surprising grace despite its artificial nature. Humanoid in shape, yet covered with spiked armour plating and lethal weaponry, the Taurus Mobile Suits was a marvel of engineering. Yet it's technology was insignificant in comparison to it's former opponents, the spectacular Gundam Mobile Suit, the most powerful weapons in a remarkable civil war that had engulfed the whole of the earth and outer space and had nearly ended in the destruction of the Earth.  
  
Gently, the suit gently landed in a clearing some miles from St. Hillary, the powerful retro-rockets churning up the ground beneath, the massive metal feet making contact with the ground causing tremors that could be felt from hundreds of feet away. The suit knelt down and disgorged it's pilot onto the ground.  
  
Zechs Marquise stood in the open door and gave a little smile. It was a fine day to be out, even in the frigid cold of winter. The snow lay heavily on the ground and pine trees. On the other side of the clearing a single figure stood watching, her long hair whipped by the thrust from the Taurus. Behind her stood a large jeep, Une's motorcycle leaning against it. The car's driver was sitting on the bonnet casually watching the Taurus. Zechs knew instantly that he was seeing someone who worked with mobile suits on a daily basis, often enough to not be intimidated or impressed with just seeing an average Taurus.  
  
Lady Une stepped up as Zechs vaulted down from the cockpit, "Preventer wind," she nodded. He nodded back, "commander." He then broke into a grin and they hugged like old friends. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face.  
  
"How's Marimaia?"  
  
Une groaned. "Back on her feet and a real handful. At least I don't have to push that dratted wheelchair everywhere now." Marimaia Kushrenada was the deceased Treize's only living legacy, and Une had taken it upon herself to raise the seven year old as best she could.  
  
"So what's this all about?"  
  
"You know as much as me. Last week we had a call from this mine asking if we could send down an explosive's expert. We sent Preventer Flame."  
  
"Chris Latta. I thought he was working with Howard on the Tallgeese."  
  
"Howard gave Chris a month off. Chris got bored and came to me for something to do. I gave it to him."  
  
By now they had reached the car, a very impressive if old Humvee 4X4, lovingly maintained. Zechs realised where he had seen the man on the bonnet before. Chris Latta aka. Preventer Flame a handsome if somewhat laid back man, was currently reading a rather cheap novel, not paying any attention to the impressive suit not a hundred feet away. He looked up, and gave a little nod to Une, before scrambling off and giving Zechs a high five.  
  
"Hey Zechs."  
  
"Chris you devil. Why'd you pull us two out? Your communication gave no details."  
  
"Yeah well I thought the information was a bit too sensitive to risk interception."  
  
"What information?"  
  
"Easy Une," Zechs interjected, "I'm sure we'll found out soon enough."  
  
*****  
  
The St. Hilary mine contrasted starkly to the spectacular surroundings. Despite the mine's importance to the Earth Sphere Unified Nation, it was worked by mostly second-hand or outdated equipment, which nerveless, was kept in pristine order.  
  
As Latta's personal Humvee pulled into the site, it stopped to allow a small train charge ahead of it at a grade crossing. Unlike most railroads of the year AC 198, it was not a Maglev, but a traditional railroad down to the harbour built to ship the ore. The four outdated locomotives that thundered past the Humvee, churning up the first of the winter snows were old, noisy, dirty and... magnificent to behold, Zechs thought. He was not a railroad fanatic of any kind, but even in a time of peace he saw all things as potential weapons, and the four black monsters looked like they could do a powerful amount of damage.  
  
The truck pulled up at the main shaft entrance and Latta led the two into the heart of the mountain. As they journeyed deeper into the bowels of the earth, he began to explain.  
  
"Three days ago, the miners were cutting a new cross tunnel to connect this shaft with another half a mile to the north, when they came across a metal wall...Despite their best efforts, they could not cut through the alloy, so the mine manger called the preventers, as you know Lady. You sent me down, and I blew it with C4. What was on the other side was...well, amazing."  
  
"And that was?"  
  
Latta looked Zechs seriously in the eye.  
  
"An army of mobile suits."  
  
***  
  
After some half-hour of silent walking, they came to a smaller, unlined tunnel, "This was the shaft that was being dug. The entrance to the cavern is right here."  
  
A hole big enough for a man to slide through had been blown in a metal wall that lay right across the tunnel. Sheer blackness lay beyond. Zechs fingered the metal. It had a strange greasy feel to it and seemed to give off a faint gold light. Latta quickly slung himself through the hole.  
  
"Careful, there's a sheer drop on this side. The first man through broke a leg falling, so we set up a simple rope ladder to get down."  
  
One at a time, the two preventers followed him. The ladder down seemed to go on forever. Une was amazed that the man in question had not broken his neck falling rather than just his leg. The air was still and dry, but was good enough to breathe. When both reached the bottom, Latta produced a flashlight.  
  
"This chamber that we're standing in is nearly 200 ft height and is as big as a football pitch. There's a network of tunnels down here that stretch nearly half a mile in all directions. All the rooms we found to be empty, except one."  
  
Once again he led them into the darkness. As their eyes adjusted to the darkness the torch became unnecessary, all the walls gave off the same golden glow. Eventually, they came to a massive sliding door, which had been pried, open by a few feet. The three easily slipped through the gap. Latta watched on amused as Une gasped. Even the usually stoic Zechs mumbled "Oh my God!"  
  
Chris and the miners had set up several banks of floodlights in the massive room that stretched away for at least 500 ft. Raised platforms lined the walls, divided by a central corridor. On each platform, lay a massive mobile suit.  
  
Still grinning like a child showing off a new toy, they were led onto a makeshift raised walkway that had been set up along the corridor to allow humans to view the Mobile Suits from above. As he led, Latta gave a run down.  
  
"None of these suits bear any markings with one exception. All of them have a symbol branded on them. There are two symbols, and the two groups seem separated by them. On our left we have a group, which is branded with a red symbol, and on the right the remainder have a purple one. Most of these suits have an individual design; there are only six that share a similar one. I also think they can assume alternate forms, like Gundam 01. and the Wing Zero." With a touch of pride in his voice he concluded the brief tour, "and here we have the big boys."  
  
They had reached the end of the room and it was evident that the two robots that ended each row were larger and more powerful than the others. One was a massive red, blue and white monster with a chest that resembled a...  
  
Une wheeled on Chris.  
  
"This one's a truck!"  
  
"I know."  
  
"But a mobile suit that becomes a truck! It makes no sense."  
  
Zechs turned. "It's genius. The element of disguise. No need for massive convoys of obvious vehicles transporting suits. Instead, the vehicle is the suit. Remarkable. If the war was still on these could have been quite useful. Might still be"  
  
As Zechs admired the red beast Une turned and walked a short way along the line of suits. "All of these red-symboled ones seem to be configured for a vehicle mode. Chris?" He nodded. "Yes, but that's where it becomes odd. All of the vehicles seem to be models that have not been seen since the first colony was put into space. They all date from the 20th century."  
  
"How'd you work that out?" Zechs had rejoined the conversation.  
  
"One of the miners, a guy called Witwicky, collects and restores classic cars. He was able to identify them. Because he's a skilled mobile suit mechanic, we let him loose on these to try and find out whatever he could. He's right here."  
  
Une and Zechs noticed a man who must have been working there the whole time. His legs were sticking out from underneath the chassis of the red mech Probably the only thing that drew their attention to him was that he was cursing the air blue. Snickering, Latta leant over the railing.  
  
OI! SPARKPLUG! Cut the sailor talk we've got guests."  
  
The man rolled out from underneath. He was a barrel-chested man in his late forties, with a slight beer belly around his waist. The arms however, bulged with muscles. The overall look was that of a powerful man gone slightly to seed. This impression was heightened by the copious amounts of oil smeared over the tan overalls he was wearing.  
  
"What's the problem?" The accent was pure American North-west.  
  
"Head down to the red jet would ya. These people are getting the grand tour."  
  
"Yeah sure. The man called Sparkplug tossed away the stub of the cigar he'd been smoking and walked under the gantry. Une leaned against the railing and cocked an eyebrow at Latta, "the red jet?"  
  
"Yeah. All these purple ones seem configured for aerial combat, with two exceptions." He turned and gestured at a massive grey and black mech. We can't figure this guy out right now, but there's a blue one which looks like well...a tape deck."  
  
"A tape deck?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Zechs sighed with the enormity of it all.  
  
"Have you managed to open any of their cockpits?"  
  
"That's another thing. Several of the purple ones have cockpits on them that are lifted off old fighter jets. We only managed to open up one of them. We haven't been able to open any of the red-branded ones, apart from a few maintenance hatches, and there are a few mechs that don't seem to have a cockpit at all." He paused, "Down here." He took them back to the end near the door. On the purple symboled side, lay a red, blue and white mech with an orange cockpit, which lay open. White wings protruded from it's back. Witwicky was climbing over the robot in question's torso. Latta gestured at the machine.  
  
"This one's cockpit was partly forced open by a spur of rock that had pierced the wall."  
  
Zech's scrambled onto the platform and slipped into one of two seats in the open cockpit. He fingered the odd control configuration. There was a single joystick, rather than the two usually seen in a mobile suit cockpit. Other smaller levers and gauges lined the cockpit. He leaned to wipe the dust off some of the gauges.  
  
"Pitch, yaw, altitude, airspeed. You're right, this one's a plane." He found the switch that usually ignited the engines and flicked it up and down several times. Nothing happened.  
  
Zechs cocked an eyebrow at Latta, who grinned.  
  
"Out of gas."  
  
Une turned.  
  
"There's no fusion reactor providing power?"  
  
"No, it's configured to take some form of liquid fuel. We managed to find the fuel tank and found it almost empty. We did get some of the fuel, but it's like nothing I've ever seen..."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"It glows pink"  
  
"PINK!"  
  
"Yes pink!" Witwicky's head appeared from inside the portside air intake, his face streaked with oil. Une sniggered at the sight. Witwicky realised something was streaked across his face and, perturbed, wiped it clean on an even filthier rag. Zechs shook his head.  
  
Witwicky approached the group gathered round the cockpit and proffered a hand. Surprisingly, Une slipped her small hand into his meaty paw and shook it firmly.  
  
"Irving Witwicky. Call me Sparkplug."  
  
"Lady Une."  
  
'Sparkplug' nodded his head and pulled another cigar from his pocket before greeting with Zechs.  
  
"So Chris, what do you want me to show them?"  
  
"Just the interesting stuff."  
  
Sparkplug walked them around the suit, giving them a rundown.  
  
"All in all, it looks like a standard mobile suit. Inside though, it's something else. And then there's the face..."  
  
"Face?"  
  
"Yeah. During the war I serviced nearly every class of mobile suit the alliance ever built, but these are the first ones I've ever seen with a proper face."  
  
Latta by this point had pulled himself onto the suit's head.  
  
"Sparkplug's right. I don't get this either."  
  
The two preventers and the mechanic watched in curiosity.  
  
"With only a few exceptions, each suit has proper, moveable faces, with mouths, noses, individual facial structures. All other mobile suits in the world have pretty similar heads, even the Gundams I'm told, but these ones... And this 'skin'. Look."  
  
Latta rapped his knuckles on one of the suit's pursed together lips. "Solid metal." But if I push against it just so..."  
  
He perched himself over the lips and pushed on one with his legs and the other with his arms. He grunted briefly and the lips suddenly open apart beneath him. Yelping, Latta vanished into the open mouth.  
  
Although he was concerned for his long-time friend, Zechs couldn't help but laugh at his predicament. Grabbing the side of the black helmet that framed the mech's 'head', he leant into the gaping cavity, noting with some surprise that the robot even had a moulded set of dentures. He grabbed the upper jaw. Now that it had been freed, it moved with ease. Sparkplug however meanwhile, was helping the somewhat battered preventer up out of the suit's innards. The fall however, seemed to have only bruised his pride, rather than hurt him  
  
Zechs was beginning to feel something stirring within him, an excitement he had not felt since the war.  
  
"Chris, can we get a truck in here?"  
  
"Yeah. There's a cave on the surface, which comes less than fifty feet to this room. When we found this place, I had the miners survey the whole mountain. We can enlarge that cave to get this suit out".  
  
"Great. Then I want this suit shipped out to the Genesis to be compared with the Tallgeese 3. Call back Noin from the terraforming project on Mars, and pull together the best chemists we can to analyse that fuel. There's something going on here we need to know about, technology far in advance of what us or the colonies have developed."  
  
Zechs paused and Une took up command, displaying her impressive organisational skills.  
  
"Zech's is right, we need to know more about what's going on here. I want the sample of fuel shipped out to the Genesis with the suit for analysis. I will sent a team of preventers to try and extract any information from this place, and try and get some of the other suits in action."  
  
She wheeled on Sparkplug..  
  
"You will of course be in charge of any work here Mr. Witwicky. I trust you will take the right course of action to keep any operations here secret?"  
  
"Me? Wouldn't Chris here be better?"  
  
"Of course not. Chris is going to be heading out with this suit here. He's going to be in charge of it"  
  
Now it was Latta's turn to be dumbfounded.  
  
*  
  
As Chris drove back Zechs to the Taurus, Une having ridden her motorcycle off in the direction of Seattle, his phone rang. Latta gestured for Zechs to answer it.  
  
"Hello. This is Zechs Marquise."  
  
"Zechs my boy. I was expecting to be talking to Chris." Zechs smirked at the familiar voice.  
  
"Hey Howard. Actually I wanted to talk to you. Chris is driving."  
  
"Well can you tell him to get back to the pacific, he was due back last week!"  
  
"The good Ms Une is over-riding you on that. You're not gonna see him for at least a week," he could well envision Howard's reaction. Howard and Une had never really got along. It was great fun to further fuel the private war between them, "but when he does turn up, he'll be bringing you a little gift from the preventers to play with."  
  
"I am intrigued. This gift you speak of. Is it hypothetical or does it exist."  
  
"Oh it exists all right," Zechs chuckled, "look Howard, this thing is a bit under wraps so we won't be sending this 'gift' to your ship. We'll want the Genesis."  
  
The surprise in Howard's voice was evident.  
  
"Then I'll head over to Murmansk right away. It'll take me a week to get Genesis close to America though."  
  
"A week'll be fine Howard. See you soon." Zechs hung up. Everything was in motion. 


	3. Genesis

CHAPTER 2. GENESIS  
  
DISCLAIMER: Well, I own nothing of the below, none of the characters, anything, with on exception. It seems that since the Genesis is an original location, I own a 48,000 ton submarine.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is still a work in progress so some of the characters in this chapter be be somewhat out of character, particularly Noin. However, if anyone has any objections, I'll eventually get around to re- writing this chapter.  
  
ONE MONTH LATER  
  
The grey surface of the Atlantic heaved under the stormy skies, whipped into choppy waves by the bitingly cold wind.  
  
Zechs pitied any boat unlucky enough to be caught out of harbour in this weather. Though the waves were not harsh enough to disturb a large cargo vessel or ocean liner, smaller craft would be rolling and tossing enough to make even the most hardened sailor wretch.  
  
Not that his current position was any more comfortable. The massive two- rotor Chinook helicopter was suffering considerably in the sharp crosswind. Zechs had requested the gigantic troop transport to carry him and Noin out to the Genesis because he thought its bulk would make for a smoother ride. How wrong he had been. The Chinook's massive cross section had only served to provide a bigger surface for the wind to act on.  
  
While he was feeling distinctly queasy, his beautiful fellow passenger, Lucrenzia Noin, was having a whale of a time. Zechs had forgotten that she had gained a reputation when training at Lake Victoria as an adventurer, taking the hardest and most physically challenging assignments just to satisfy her quest for the ultimate adrenaline rush. When that had not satisfied her, she had taken to skydiving and jumping from high bridges during her off-duty hours.  
  
Currently, the woman in question had ejected the copter's co-pilot from his seat and was demanding to the pilot to take the controls for the rush of flying the copter in hard conditions. When Zechs had tried to persuade her during the half-hour trip to return to her seat in the main hold, she had snarled at him in a manner fierce enough to scare off a tiger. Gracefully, Zechs had retried to the hold alone.  
  
So engrossed was he in his thoughts that he never noticed Noin sitting back down next to him.  
  
"Two minutes till the drop point Zechs."  
  
Zechs jumped. Making a mental note to check if hell had frozen over, he turned to her.  
  
"I look forward to getting off this bucking bronco."  
  
"Come-on Zechs, where's your sense of adventure?"  
  
"You currently have the monopoly on that..."  
  
"Oh be serious! Its not like you've never taken risks in your life," she paused and stared out the window for a brief period, "what's this Genesis then? I can't see a ship at all from here. The pilot was asking if you had given him the wrong co-ordinates."  
  
"No, they're right. Genesis is Howard's newest toy. You'll see in a minute." The helicopter abruptly decelerated and came to a halt, still taking severe turbulence from the storm. Zechs stood up and pulled a pair of parachutes from the rack on the wall. He leaned into the cockpit and tapped the pilot on the shoulder, "open the aft hatch."  
  
As the rear flap of the helicopter collapsed, Zechs and Noin leant out over the ocean. Even though the Chinook was several hundred feet above the sea, the high winds managed to blow a constant stream of salt-water spray into the hold. Zechs pulled a small com-link from his pocket. Yelling over the sound of the turbine engines, Zechs spoke a brief message.  
  
"Howard, we're here. Bring her up!"  
  
Noin turned to him, realisation dawning on her face, a single eyebrow raised, as below, a massive area of the empty sea began to churn with bubbles.  
  
Suddenly, a gigantic mass burst through the froth at a forty-five degree angle. The sleek black nose of an antiquated nuclear submarine shot out of the water a hundred feet, before swinging back down to send up a wall of icy water. As it settled, the smooth mass of the conning tower appeared, followed by the complex apparatus of the stern hydroplanes and rudders. As hatches were thrown open on the hull, the sub came to rest, the water around its hull still bubbling with released air.  
  
Noin gasped at the bulk of the black leviathan. It was well over five hundred and fifty feet in length and seventy feet wide. The conning tower was set far back on the hull, and bulged oddly around the base. Ahead of it, stretched a long flat deck, dotted with circular hatches, and with a chill, she realised that these were hatches for nuclear missiles. She stared first at the submarine, then at the grinning Zechs. The submarine was centuries old, but the design was infamous, and she knew what she was staring at.  
  
"I give you the Genesis..."  
  
"A TYPHOON! A damn' Soviet Typhoon Ballistic Missile sub!"  
  
Still grinning, Zechs waved towards the hatch. "Ladies first, mam!"  
  
The enormity of the situation subsided, and she grinned back. "You're too much of a gentleman!" With that, she gave him a sharp jab in the chest. Zechs stepped back in surprise, right into open air...  
  
With a yell of "women!" Zechs plummeted towards the sub. After falling about a hundred feet he pulled his parachute and began to drift down. Thankfully, the winds had briefly subsided and he glided straight and true towards the Genesis.  
  
With an excited cry of "BONSAI!" Noin leapt after him. Tucking her legs to her chest, she cannonball down, not pulling the rip-cord on her parachute before she had overtaken the startled Zechs and was barely two hundred feet above the water. The sudden deceleration snapped her head back, but she ignored the sudden pain and focused on landing squarely on the missile deck. Ten feet above it, she released the parachute and freefalled the final distance, landing like a cat on the smooth black deck. Like a startled bird, the discarded parachute was caught in the wind and blew away over the ocean. Zechs' chute quickly joined it.  
  
Noin rubbed the back of her neck, 'that will hurt in the morning' she murmured, as the two officers scrambled up the slippery, wet ladder to the top of the conning tower where a lone figure waited.  
  
For once, Howard was not wearing his usual Hawaiian shirt, but had donned a full-length black sailor's jacket. Badges of rank on his shoulder denoted the rank of Captain. A number of obviously fake medals decorated his chest. On his head sat a small black fur cap, the red star of the defunct Soviet Navy gleaming on the brow. He greeted Zechs in a hideously fake Scottish accent.  
  
"Good morning comrades. It is cold, and harrrd..." Zechs laughed and hugged his old friend.  
  
"Howard, you may drive the 'Red October's' twin sister but you are NOT Sean Connery!" The two pilots giggled at Howard's overblown act.  
  
"Comrade Miliardo Kingovich Peacecraft! You have not changed. I thought the influences of the decadent west would have had some effect on your demeanour!"  
  
Zechs scowled slightly, "you know I don't like people using my birth name."  
  
Ignoring him, Howard wheeled on Noin, pulling off his cap in a hideously overdone bow, "and the beautiful frauline Noin. It is pleasure to serve with you again." He slipped the cap onto Noin's head.  
  
Chuckling, Noin hugged him and briefly pecked him on the cheek, "Frauline is German for woman, not Russian Howard, I thought you knew better," she fingered one of the medals he wore, "likewise for this Iron Cross."  
  
Howard smirked, "East Germany was part of the Glorious Soviet Union for over forty years. I think I am justified."  
  
Zechs gave him a hearty slap on the back, "Okay Howard, you win. Always want the last word. So drop the officer of the line act. What do you have on the suit we sent you?"  
  
"YOW! Zechs!" Howard reverted to his usual laid-back voice. "You have to hit me so hard?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Howard glared, then chuckled. He yelled down the hatch at his feet, "Frank! We have boarders coming aboard!" A number of laughs echoed up the long shaft. "Come on down!" Grinning, Howard slid down the ladder. As Zechs followed, he noticed Noin adjust the Russian hat on her head to a more rakish angle.  
  
"It suits you," he yelled over the storm before he vanished from view.  
  
As Noin followed down, the hatch sealed itself with a 'BOOM!' that reverberated through the steel cylinder.  
  
*  
  
Below, red emergency lighting dimly lighted the control room. Howard looked around briefly.  
  
"I asked for the emergency lights? Turn the main ones back on."  
  
As harsh bright light filled the surprisingly large room, Zechs and Noin shielded their eyes.  
  
"Howard," Noin gasped, "that is amazingly bad fashion sense!"  
  
Howard had cast aside the sailor's jacket to reveal his traditional attire, an neon orange Hawaiian shirt with acid green palm trees patterned on it. The hideous clash of colours was causing Noin's eyes to go out of focus. Zechs thought he might have a seizure if he stared at the mutant shirt long enough. Howard and his crew were on the verge of rolling with laughter at the looks on the two's faces.  
  
"Don't feast your eyes too much kids. These things have been known to cause spontaneous blindness after prolonged exposure.  
  
"Then why do you wear the damn things?"  
  
"Self defence. I'm ever in a bad situation, my attackers are so blinded by them I can get away."  
  
Zechs couldn't help but laugh at the twisted logic. That laugh was cut short as the deck abruptly rolled underneath. Noin yelped and grabbed at the periscope for support. Howard's casual smile vanished and he turned to one of the men in the control room. "That the storm?"  
  
"Yeah, it's getting worse."  
  
"Then let's retire to a more comfortable depth. Take her down Gary, full ahead"  
  
The man at one of the main control stations rang the engine room telegraph to full while the handful of other men adjusted the controls. Beneath them, the deck began to vibrate more rapidly as the engines increased speed. At the same time, the room took on a distinct tilt down.  
  
"Care to take a last peek at the world above?" Howard was at the periscope. "Well, there go your friends." He stepped aside for Noin to take a look.  
  
Through the periscope, Noin could see the bows of the ship, cutting rapidly through the waves, go underwater, the decks awash with surf. Above, the Chinook was wheeling about and making tracks towards the distant mainland. That was the last thing she saw before a wave swept over the periscope as the Typhoon slid underwater.  
  
As she stepped away, Howard and Zechs were venting their spleen on each other.  
  
"So I get your message, l bring this girl here, and then I drive around in circles for nearly a week before the present you sent me arrives, and then the same after while I wait for you two. Now you want me to sail to Oregon?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, I guess we can go through the Panama Canal..."  
  
"No, this whole affair must be kept under wraps."  
  
"What! So you want me to take this thing round the bottom of South America?"  
  
"Wouldn't it be quicker to go via the polar ice cap and the north coast of Alaska?"  
  
"Hey! I'm driving this girl. But I like your idea. Frank..." Howard spun on his heel, "see to plotting a suitable course...Now then...." He eyed the two soldiers, their jump suits dripping wet from the surf that had washed over them on the deck. Both were now sipping hot drinks provided by a thoughtful crewman.  
  
"You two look freezing. I think you need to be warmed up before I give you the grand tour or you'll catch hypothermia. May I suggest a swim?"  
  
"Oh that's a great idea," Zechs responded sarcastically. "Where would you suggest?"  
  
"Well you could try outside, but there's our heated swimming pool and sauna, courtesy of the Navy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics."  
  
"Pool? Sauna?" Noin looked intrigued, "maybe communism did have something going for it after all." 


	4. Developments

CHAPTER 3. DEVELOPMENTS  
  
DISCLAIMER:  
  
What a shame, I own nothing. Except.The submarine Genesis (600ft long, 75 ft wide, 48000 tons gross displacement up for sale, 1 billion dollars/pounds/rubbles.) and a Compac Deskpro 433 computer (megacrap!) and a Packard Bell 3000 (much better! But it actually belongs to my family). Gundam Wing is property of Sunrise. Transformers is property of Hasbro. The Hunt for Red October is property of the author Tom Clancy and Paramount pictures. If I owned any of these things I would sleep every night 'on top of a pile of gold, with many beautiful women' to quote the 'Simpsons'. And I don't own them either.  
  
AUTHOR NOTE:  
  
Firstly, I warn you that much of this chapter is likely to be boring. In it several transformer technologies which will be vital for the later story will be discovered and explained in scientific detail i.e. energon, laser cores (sparks if you follow Beast Wars) and weapons hence the boredom. Rated PG-13 for some implied sex between Zechs and Noin and mild drunkenness.  
  
I GOT REVIEWS! YEAH! Now then. I wish to thank the following people.  
  
ASHANA: As my first ever reviewer on the internet, I thank you.  
  
SHADOWHAWK: Thankyou as well, your wish is granted. Here's the more you requested.  
  
NEEDNOT MATTER: Is that your actual penname? However,  
thankyou for the review, and I blush at your compliments.  
However, my work is substandard to that of Anime Huggler  
(see below.)  
  
ANIME HUGGLER: You may not have submitted a review, but  
the inspiration for this fic was your excellent work. I  
hope you update soon.  
  
Once again I thankyou all and God bless.  
  
CHAPTER 3.  
  
An hour later, Noin and Zechs had both had a brief swim and had changed into more comfortable clothes than their uniforms. Howard was just concluding the grand tour.  
  
"...We have a fully fitted electronics and chemical lab in the former torpedo room, supplies to last us for four months, and a cinema in the back," he paused, then as if an afterthought, "oh, and a facility capable of building and maintaining whole mobile suits.  
  
The coffee Noin was still nursing quickly decorated the opposite bulkhead. Zechs however was unsurprised.  
  
"So where is this facility?"  
  
"Right through here." Howard pulled open a bulkhead hatch, and they stepped into the biggest room in the submarine. Both gasped in astonishment.  
  
In Genesis' heyday as a weapon of the USSR, the ballistic missile room would have taken up more than a third of the submarine's length. 200ft long, 40 feet wide and nearly 10 meters high, most of the space would have been taken up by the twenty sinister SS-N-20 SEAHAWK missiles, each carrying eight independent warheads which would be targeted on separate targets, meaning the sub could have simultaneously destroyed 180 cities with a total nuclear explosive equivalent to eighty million tons of TNT.  
  
Now however, Howard's engineers had stripped out the inhuman weapons and deepened the room's depth so that even the biggest mobile suit could stand up in it. At the forward end, a pair of massive racks had been set up to accommodate two mobile suits. The floor area was given over to a massive engineering facility, and from the wide range of equipment in view; Zechs figured Howard could well build an entire mobile suit underwater.  
  
The room echoed with the sounds of machinery at work, sparks flew from equipment, gas hung around the roof, and robotic arms attached to the wall danced an intricate path across the massive space, the advanced tools on their tips glowing and sparking. Gantries criss-crossed the void and Howard led the couple onto one of these to appreciate the awe-inspiring view.  
  
One of the massive racks was occupied by the Tallgeese 3, the third incarnation of a 20-year-old museum piece which Zechs still had fond memories of. However, there was no activity on the gigantic mobile suit. Rather, all of the twenty engineers were scrambling over the silver and red jet that sat at the foot of the empty rack.  
  
The jet rested on its landing gear, it's cockpit open. Inside, the controls had been stripped out and a new set was being wired into place. The two engines were being run in, the massive scream they generated almost drowning out all other noises. On the aircraft's back hatches lay open, mechanics climbing in and out, stripping out mechanisms, analysing, fitting new components. Two massive hoses linked to the engines were heaving as if a thick fluid was being pumped through them into the plane. The amount of work being carried out was as impressive as the overall view of the massive room.  
  
"I see Chris' team managed to get the mobile suit to shift to its jet form," Zechs shouted.  
  
"What, oh no..." Howard stared out over the work, "they couldn't do a thing with it. Chris eventually got a pair of Aires to fly it out here in robot mode. When they first appeared I though you were delivering me a damn Taurus. But what I got was something...more."  
  
"More?"  
  
Howard turned, his face solemn.  
  
"Down there is the most advanced mobile suit in the world, superior to all others..."  
  
Zechs opened his mouth to interrupt, Howard didn't let him even say a word, but continued on unabated,  
  
"...and more than a equal match to the Gundams."  
  
Zechs' mouth flapped open like a fish that had been pulled from the water. He made a few gasping noises but said nothing. Noin stepped in.  
  
"Explain Howard."  
  
"I think it would be better if I showed you."  
  
Howard stepped over to the bulkhead and sounded a massive klaxon which was load enough to drown out even the screaming engines. All work stopped.  
  
"Close it down!" Howard gestured wildly and in a flurry of activity the mobile suit was quickly prepped for action. The engines were shut down, the cockpit controls were finished, the hoses were disconnected and all the open hatches were shut and locked.  
  
"Chris! You there?"  
  
A man stepped forward out of the hive of activity. Preventer Chris Latta had discarded his uniform and wore a pair of faded jeans and an oil- streaked T-Shirt. "You want something Howard?"  
  
"Our guests require a demonstration. You wanna show them what our Grumman can do?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
As Latta turned and ran to the cockpit, Zechs turns and looked at Howard, "Grumman?"  
  
"It's what we're calling it. This jet mode's an antiquated Grumman F-15 Strike Eagle. Beautiful plane, excellent plane. If obsolete"  
  
"So it's only slightly younger than this sub Howard?"  
  
"Touché Ms Noin. Well played. Well, it was an F-15 before we got our hands on it. We've heavily modified it. Even if it looks the same"  
  
By this point Latta had climbed into the open cockpit, but he didn't bother to shut it. He signalled a thumbs up. Howard turned to his visitors.  
  
"You better be ready for this."  
  
Zechs and Noin both leant over the railing, anxious, waiting.  
  
"NOW!"  
  
A loud noise filled the air, a strange electrical friction.  
  
'whum, whum, whum, whum, whump!'  
  
As the noise passed, Zechs and Noin stared in wonder at what the jet had become. Zechs had only ever seen it lying down and inactive, covered in dust. It was a whole new experience for him as well as Noin.  
  
The suit's red and silver paint scheme now gleamed under the spotlights. The overall shape was sleek and masculine. The most prominent features were a pair of air intakes that rose up from the shoulders, bringing the height of the mobile suit to an impressive 50-something feet. The cockpit had folded down onto the chest area, and Zechs noticed the first modification Howard's people had made.  
  
"You've hinged the cockpit seat and controls."  
  
"Yes. For some reason, the seats were fixed in place, so that in robot mode the pilot would be facing down, so we stripped out the cockpit interior and replaced the two seats that were there and the aircraft controls with standard mobile suit ones but left in two seats. We also hinged it so that when transformed the seats flip up and the pilot and passenger face straight forward."  
  
Zechs stroked his chin.  
  
"So what else have you done?"  
  
"Well, the thruster engines in the legs were merely very improved F-15 ones. We stripped them out and replaced them with more modern units. Super Vernieas. We also added an optional pair of thrusters on the back much like the Tallgeese's to boost the speed. We added a great deal of weapons to the arsenal. But even if we had not done these things, this suit would still be superior to any OZ or the alliance ever designed."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Follow me."  
  
Howard led them out of the missile room after gesturing for the mechanics to resume work on the suit. After navigating a maze of passages and several staircases they arrived in what had been the torpedo room. This had been divided down the centre to form two laboratories. The first one that Howard led them into was obviously a chemical laboratory. Beakers and test tubes lined the walls, their contents bubbling and steaming. He leaned on a gallon gasoline drum that someone had set up on a tripod in the centre of the room.  
  
"This is truly something."  
  
"Let me guess," Zechs interjected, "the glow-in-the-dark, pink fuel."  
  
"Right. But you can add something else to it. It's a battery," Howard held up his hand to prevent interruptions. "Let me finish. This fuel compromises of a mix of hydrogen and/or carbon molecules, compressed to high pressures and given a massive electrical jolt. The result is that all the electrons on the atoms fly off and stay off. The electricity reverses their electrical charge, so they repel each other and they become a thin liquid, which is effectively pure energy. I know it sounds crazy but look..."  
  
Howard produced pair of electrical wires which he hotwired to the room lights, which were then turned out. Using a flashlight to help, Howard ripped the lid off the drum and the flash no longer became necessary. A pale glow from the drum's liquid contents gave off more than enough light to see by.  
  
A sort of reverential silence descended over scientists in the room as Howard, wearing insulated gloves, dropped the two electrical contacts into the fuel. There was a brief, intense flash of light as the hotwired lights burned brighter than a supernova, and then burned out instantly. Darkness fell again as Howard flicked on the torch.  
  
"This single drum of fuel has an electrical charge powerful enough to fully power a Mobile Suit for three hours."  
  
Zechs and Noin's eyes bulged at the implications.  
  
"Not only that, but once the electrical charge has been drained from it, the left over waste can be sued as a powerful jet fuel."  
  
"Jet fuel?"  
  
"Yeah. This mobile suit has an energy system much like a human digestive system. First from the main fuel tank in the upper torso, it is passed through a system of piping lined with electrodes, which drain off the electrical energy, which is then stored in batteries or used to power the suit. Then, the remaining flammable waste is drained off to a secondary fuel tank where it is held until the engines in the legs need power. The thing is, because the waste is pure hydrogen and carbon ions, it's very efficient. This suit, on a full tank could run for hours on its afterburners, enough to circle the globe at least once. Other than this, there's no other energy supply, so we built in a standard Leo fusion reactor as a backup electrical supply."  
  
Both pilots were mouthing the word 'WOW!' over and over. Finally, Zechs spoke up.  
  
"How hard is this fuel to manufacture."  
  
"Not very. Hundred years ago, you'd have to make it from actual carbon-rich resources, like coal, oil or diamonds, but nowadays we can synthesise the fuel with ease. We've already made enough to fully fuel this suit for a month. We had difficulty coming up with a name for this stuff. 'Hydrocarbon' has been taken, 'Electrum' sounds corny, so eventually we settled on the name 'Flux"  
  
Zechs ran the word over in his head. Flux sounded right.  
  
Howard then turned and walked through the dividing wall to an electrical lab, which had been hastily modified, into a weapons facility. Zechs seemed to have recovered from his amazement and followed him, though Noin remained with one of the scientists in the chemical lab to discuss the ionic composition of the fuel in more detail.  
  
The main item on display in the weapons lab was a sleek silver gun, about ten feet in length, the long barrel taking up half that length. Zechs walked up to it and ran his hands over the cool surface murmuring to himself.  
  
"Gas laser, cryogenic plant in barrel, quite small, I would estimate this gives a low amount of damage per shot."  
  
"Wrong actually. There's a group of capacitors build into the suit's upper arm that connect to this. Each capacitor stores enough energy for this little baby to wreak a lot of havoc, and because there's several banks of capacitors, it can fire constantly because while one's charge is depleted, the next is charging."  
  
"Impressive. Simple in concept, but difficult in execution. As far as I know, no-one's ever developed a capacitor that can store that kind of charge."  
  
"Someone did. It uses that fuel as a storage medium. A sort of 'Flux Capacitor' Now then Zechs, can you tell me what this is?" He tapped a unit bolted on the rear of the laser."  
  
Zechs fingered the smooth cylinder, "No idea."  
  
"A liquid-cooled electromagnet. It fires in weak pulses that can disable circuitry for several minutes."  
  
"Incredible, an EMP cannon small enough to be built into a rifle. It can disable targets then finish them off with the laser."  
  
"Yup!"  
  
"So what other weapons does this thing hold?"  
  
Howard leant against the EMP rifle, "not many. There are two of these, and then a group of cluster bombs mounted in the chest. These bomblets were built into the VTOL engines, but weren't very powerful, so we modified them. The new engines we put in did not require air intakes or Vertical Take Off and Landing engines, so we converted those areas into assault weapons. There's a bank of missiles and two torpedoes inside each air intake, which pop up in robot mode, a modified bank of cluster bombs in the forearms, and a pair of Gatling Guns in each VTOL recess. It's literally a walking artillery platform, like the Gundam Heavyarms."  
  
A brief look of distaste passed across Zechs' face, "so it only boasts long- range weapons."  
  
Howard burst out laughing. "Don't worry Zechs. I know your personal passion for the honour of duelling, so we put a pair of beam sabres on the hips. There's also a pair of energy shields like the Mercurius and Vigros carried on the wings that can connect onto the EMP rifle ports to run off the capacitors."  
  
"You know me too well Howard"  
  
"I know you were a world class-fencing champion at the age of six."  
  
"So what else can you tell me about the technologies in this suit?"  
  
"Well, the armour seems to be a close derivative to Gundanium, but is thinly layered on the exo-structure with layers of titanium. Not as strong as proper Gundanium, but incredibly flexible. One of our technicians managed to hotwire the suit to sing the lyrics to old musicals, along with the proper mouth movements. We had to put up with 'The hills are alive, with the sound of music,' and 'tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya' tomorrow,' for several days before we all snapped and smashed the CDs."  
  
Zechs was chuckling, "that mouth by the way, what's its purpose?"  
  
"It connects to the fuel tank. It allows the suit to refuel on the move just by drinking a supply of flux carried with it."  
  
"Smart, very smart. So what else can you tell me?"  
  
"Well, this metal alloy for one. The entire structure of the suit is covered with it, not just the armour. A complex system of actuated hydraulics coupled to it allow the suit to have a fantastic amount of manoeuvrability and agility, even if it makes it a b*****d to pilot!"  
  
"That must have been expensive. Especially if this was built in the 20th century. Unless there is some way of manufacturing Gundanium outside of zero gravity I'm stumped as to how this suit could have been build."  
  
"You're not alone there."  
  
"Incredible, simply incredible. These technologies have been desired for years by the world's militaries, the 'Flux Capacitor' technology alone would revolutionise all forms of life, not just warfare. But till now they have all been beyond the reach of science...What the!"  
  
A small explosion rocked the nose of the submarine. Smoke burst through the door into the chemical lab. Suddenly, coughing, her hair standing on end, Noin staggered through the division before grabbing the fire extinguisher mounted on the wall.  
  
"Sorry, I was trying to test how flammable that fuel was and I used a bit too much."  
  
Still coughing, Noin stumbled back into chemical lab, where several small fires had sprung up. Howard turned to Zechs.  
  
"Could you keep that girl away from anything explosive when we're submerged!"  
  
*  
  
"There's one other factor about this mobile suit that you haven't seen yet."  
  
"And that is?"  
  
"Well, when we were stripping out the cockpit, we found something else underneath  
  
"And that was?"  
  
"It's best if you see yourself. Up here."  
  
Zechs and Howard had returned to the former missile bay, and were now scrambling up a ladder that led into the suit cockpit. Zechs paused by the blue foot and stared up at the robot's imposing mass.  
  
'I once described the Gundams as impressive beasts, because I hoped that someday I would be able to pilot such a suit, to control it, to tame it like a wild animal. But this robot I feel is less of a beast and more of a warrior, something that does not need to be broken because it already has full control over it's abilities.'  
  
When the two reached the top of the ladder they found that the cockpit was already occupied. Latta was sitting inside, tongue between teeth and a soldering iron in his hands, trying to reconnect some wires in one of the joysticks, which had snapped in the installation.  
  
"Hey Chris, mind if we swing you out so we can have a look underneath?"  
  
Latta nodded, never taking his attention from the severed wires. Howard flipped a switch on the cockpit lid, and the seat with Latta in it swung out of the cockpit along with its console. Behind, a panel of the wall slid down, giving Zechs a clear view into the heart of the Mobile Suit. A strange light washed over his face as his eyes widened in shock.  
  
"What in the name of God is THAT!" he spluttered.  
  
THAT! was a strange transparent sphere about a foot across which was filled with a pale purple gas, which rippled and spun in complex fashions. It stood on a shaft in the centre of a spherical chamber the near side of which was lined with what Zechs realised with a small shock were lasers. A few of these were calmly blinking on and off, firing small burst of concentrated light into the sphere. These were reflected and diffracted out the other side of the sphere striking sensors with which the other half of the chamber was lined. When the laser beams intersected inside the gas or came in close proximity a strange rainbow hued glow was given off. Howard watched on with unhidden pride.  
  
"That, my friend Zechs, is a laser brain."  
  
"A brain, you mean a CPU of some sort?"  
  
"What he means," a new voice interjected, "is that this mobile suit can think. Not just process information and produce a logical response, but think like a human."  
  
Zechs spun. Latta, his soldering put down for now, was leaning into the opening.  
  
"This thing can strategise, plot responses, continue to fight when most of it's supporting systems fail, fight a battle with a fighting style unique to itself."  
  
Zechs just stared into the sphere, the strange light continuing to light up his face in an unearthly manner.  
  
"My God!" he murmured.  
  
*  
  
"The sphere essentially models a neuron, a single component of the human brain. It transforms incoming data from the CPU in the head into light, which is shot into the sphere by the lasers. The gas, in the sphere, is of a composition unique to the robot. When we discovered the laser brain, Chris here went back to Mt. St. Hillary and checked the other suits to see if they were fitted with similar units. All were, but each was different. The sphere was larger or small, the gas was of a different colour and density or texture, and there were a different number of lasers. The result is, that when the laser beam comes out of the sphere and hits the sensors, sometimes split into different beams, the light is translated back into electrical data, but comes out different to how that same data went in. And the individual designs means that data is translated in a unique way for each suit"  
  
"So what your saying is that each suit has different brain processes."  
  
The four of them (Zechs, Noin, Latta and Howard) had retreated to Howard's office, the former captain's cabin. Howard had poured drinks (hot tea without milk or sugar but a hefty shot of whisky) and they had sat around the small stateroom table to first explain the laser brain system to Noin, and then discuss it.  
  
"Exactly Ms. Noin" Howard sat back.  
  
"But what's the point?" Zechs lifted the glass cup to his lips and took a sip of his tea. Surprisingly, the whisky went quite well with the drink, giving it a sharp ting and drowning out the unpleasant bitter aftertaste of plain tea. It also gave it a surprisingly mellow feel. Zechs was worried about how much of the drink he could take. He had always been a lightweight when it came to alcohol and Howard was insisting on serving everyone refills when their cups got half-empty.  
  
'Oh God! Please don't let me get drunk!'  
  
"What's the point of having a mobile suit that can think?"  
  
"Common' don't you get it!" Howard was now grinning smugly at the others, happy as a clam that he knew something they didn't, he slowly leant forward, and as if divulging a great secret, whispered, "it's what the zero system lacked to make it work."  
  
Zechs and Noin sat back in their seats with a look of realisation dawning on their faces, but Latta looked puzzled.  
  
"The zero system? What the heck's that?"  
  
Zechs leant back into the corner, pinching the bridge of his nose to relieve the pressure building there. Noin took centre stage.  
  
"The zero system was a system designed specifically for mobile suits. Data from the suit's systems and battle simulations are fed directly into the pilot's brain. The intention was to heighten the pilot's instincts and make them react almost simultaneously to a battle situation. It almost bordered on precognition." She sighed. Howard took up the staff in explaining to Latta.  
  
"The problem was it caused pilots to flip. The data rush was too much for most humans to handle. Caused temporary insanity in them."  
  
"Insanity?"  
  
"Hallucinations, increased aggression etc. In some cases it fed on the pilot's most secret fears and emotions and caused severe personality changes in them. The first person to use it had a lot of built up anger and hatred. The zero system mutated that negative emotion into homicidal tendencies. He blew up an entire colony and murdered its whole population. Only the most hardened pilots," he shot a significant stare at Zechs over the rim of his drink, "could handle it. In return, the zero system granted them a level of temporary enlightenment..." his voice trailed off.  
  
Latta wanted to know more, but the atmosphere in the room told him not to push it. Zechs was now contemplating his drink with a very serious expression, Noin was weeping quietly, and Howard was staring blankly at the wall over his intertwined fingers.  
  
"I think I understand it...this zero system failed because the human mind could not take the sudden rush of direct information, which I assume was presented in digital format. But...(he paused and looked round slowly), if you had something which could translate this data into human brainwaves, the pilot would be able to take it," by this point, the others were all nodding slowly, "something like, the laser neuron."  
  
Howard slowly sat up, a look of almost childish joy filling his face.  
  
"In fact Chris, if such a device were linked to the zero system, the pilot would most likely cease to be an individual portion of the machine, and the human brain would take control from the CPU. The pilot would become the suit."  
  
"But wouldn't they loose control?" Noin had wiped away her tears.  
  
"No, the pilot would retain his humanity, but would be in joint control with the CPU. He would become the weapon, and as such, would become unstoppable."  
  
"But, why are all these brains to different designs?"  
  
"Most likely to make them as compatible as possible with the pilot specific to the suit. The pilot would be in better harmony with the machine if the brain is designed to convert the data into brainwaves as similar as possible to his own."  
  
"Does that mean that if we were to pilot that suit, we would start thinking like someone else unless a brain specific to us was put in?"  
  
Howard paused in reaction to Noin's question. After a minute of silence, he looked up.  
  
"Yes. It would take time to make a new brain though. We would need to analyse the gas, find out how to adjust the parameters to suit a new pilot. That pilot would also have to undergo a full CAT scan of his brain before any changes were made. But, if anyone would like to take the suit out for a fly before then, I could put in a bypass, to allow the suit to be piloted manually by cutting the laser neuron out of the loop. I could install the zero system on a similar bypass as well. What do you think Zechs? Zechs?"  
  
Zechs had not moved from his position in five minutes, he had not said a single word either.  
  
Slowly, Zechs made his first move since Noin had started to explain the zero system; he reached out, picked up his tea which Howard had just topped up, and downed it in a shot. He felt the warm glow of the whisky hit his stomach, and then his world went black.  
  
'That hits the spot,' he thought as he keeled over onto the tabletop.  
  
*  
  
"Are we going to wake him up?" Latta enquired of Noin, who was silently laughing as Zechs snored loudly, a thin trail of saliva trailing from his mouth onto the tabletop. He highly suspected she had had a bit too much of Howard's tea herself, there was a mischievous glint in her eyes which were slightly out of focus.  
  
"No, I've got a better idea."  
  
*  
  
Zechs had the very pleasant sensation that he was floating in his world of darkness. Invisible hands were carrying him gently over the world of his dreams, then he felt them let go, and he was soaring through the air gracefully, free of all restraints.  
  
'How wonderful, I'm fly...'  
  
SPLASH!  
  
Zechs hit the steaming water of the swimming pool in a belly flop. Noin watching from the side winced as he sank slowly below the surface. Suddenly, he sprang up, glaring at her.  
  
"Why you...!"  
  
She turned to run out the door, but found it shut and locked in her face.  
  
"Howard, Chris, Let me out. You b*****ds!"  
  
She felt a pair of strong hands grab her around the waist and then she was dragged back into the pool, kicking and screaming.  
  
*  
  
Outside, Howard slipped back the bolt on the door and turned to Latta.  
  
"There, they're free to go anytime they want."  
  
Latta pressed his ear to the soundproofed door. Noin's screams of indignation and the loud splashes had subsided into quiet, half-drunken giggles.  
  
"I don't think they'll be coming out anytime soon."  
  
Laughing to themselves, the two men made their way back towards the missile bay.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED:  
  
CHAPTER NOTES:  
  
I'm going to introduce these after every chapter for those who are interested. Here I summarise the chapters posted to date.  
  
PROLOGUE:  
  
I know that the official Gundam Wing website sets the series many thousands of years in the future, but I'm setting it 300 years from now to simplify things. Also, it's a bit odd that thousands of years in the future, human culture and technologies are pretty much unchanged (with the exceptions of the colonies, space travel, portable fusion reactors and mobile suits.)  
  
CHAPTER 1.  
  
I've named the transformer mountain Mt. St. Hillary as that is the general fan consensus. However other fan authors in the past have dubbed it Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier and MT. DOOM!  
  
Mt. St. Hillary is a fictional mountain, yet the clues we see in the Transformers TV show and comics suggest it is in the state of Oregon, close to the real Mt. St. Helens, which last erupted in the early to mid 1980s with great loss of life.  
  
Going by a brief scene from the end of Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, I'm assuming Lady Une adopted Marimaya. (Does anyone know Une's first name, or even if she has one?)  
  
My character Chris Latta, although an original one, is named in memory of the voice actor Chris Latta, who voiced my favourite character Starscream in Transformers. He also voiced Wheeljack, Reflector, Sparkplug and starred in GIJoe as Cobra Commander and others. Sadly he passed away recently (some wags believe that doing Starscream's unique screeching voice gave him throat cancer). He was a man much beloved by young fans and many of his fellow voice actors and will be sorely missed. May his soul rest in peace.  
  
I'm trying to work in a reference to a film/movie in each chapter. This first one is somewhat obscure. The railroad train that Zechs muses over briefly is from a favourite film of mine, 'Runaway Train', starring Jon Voight, Eric Roberts and Rebecca DeMornay.  
  
The likeable mechanic Sparkplug is of course a descendant from the Sparkplug Witwicky of the 1980s transformers TV series. They say kids look like their grandparents, in this case the similarity has merely skipped about five generations.  
  
'The red jet'. Hm. I wonder who that could be?  
  
Those of you who know your naval history will understand why Howard flies to Murmansk in northern Russia to get the Genesis. Murmansk was originally the headquarters of the Soviet Union's northern fleet navy.  
  
CHAPTER 2.  
  
I know, I know! The odds that the classic Chinook Helicopter is still in service in 300 years are slim to say the least, but I couldn't pass up on the mental image it generated.  
  
It's hard to tell but Noin's my favourite of the GW girls. I luv' her!  
  
Does anyone think that the concept of Noin as an adventurer works? Because she's stationed in Africa and seems to wear combat fatigues complete with boots in bed (See episode 4.), this image popped into my head.  
  
A DAMN TYPHOON! This was inspired by the fact that while typing this I was watching the 'Hunt for Red October' and got inspired at the point when Alec Baldwin starts pratting around in the missile room with a gun ('Be careful, some things in here don't react well to bullets!'). I saw this beautiful shot of the room and saw a mobile suit standing up in it in my mind's eye.  
  
The film reference is obviously Howard dressing up like Sean Connery and quoting him from the opening scene of 'Hunt for Red October.'  
  
Yes, Typhoon submarines do have saunas and swimming pools (and a gymnasium). As they are the largest submarines in the world there is more than enough room. Did any other nation care for its sub crews to give them such luxuries? It still doesn't mean communism works though!  
  
CHAPTER 3.  
  
As you've gathered, Starscream's jet mode is a Grumman F-15E Strike Eagle. Grumman also built the Saturn 5 moon rockets.  
  
Energon. After a few weeks of working out formulas on little bits of paper (I have no life!) I finally get some vague idea of what it is. Thus, the extreme boredom while Howard waffles on about it. It probably works as well if you only pervert science slightly. Lets get together and throw all Einstein's work out the window!  
  
Film reference: 'Flux Capacitor'. This is lifted from Back to the Future, the greatest film trilogy to date (Lord of the Rings is going to be better though!).  
  
The EMP rifle is obviously Starscream's null ray.  
  
This is how I think a Transformer laser core works. I'm not getting into any of that perverse Beast Wars/Beast Machines spirituality junk!  
  
This is how I think the Zero System works and why people go nuts in it.  
  
Psychotic kid pilot who killed a whole colony. Who can it be but QUATRE!  
  
I know there's a picture on the net showing Zechs gulping Wild Turkey whiskey, but I thought he needed a weakness, so I made him a lightweight when it comes to drink. BWAHAHAHA!  
  
Zechs and Noin in a swimming pool. Kinky. I again, have no life and a perverted mind.  
  
Well if you've read this far, well done on not dying of boredom and thankyou! Please review and I don't mind people copying my work as long as they e-mail me beforehand.  
  
Later Days. And keep watching the skis! Er.Skies! (Again, the Simpsons. I HAVE NO LIFE!!!) 


	5. Fight and Flight

CHAPTER 4. FIGHT & FLIGHT  
  
DISCLAIMER:  
  
Do you think I own this? Does anyone think that if I owned the rights to something as wonderful as Gundam Wing or Transformers I'd be doing something constructive with those rights? Instead, I offer you this, written purely for entertainment, and not for monetary gain.  
  
AUTHOR NOTE:  
  
Oh yea of little faith, who believed my fanfiction had degraded into scientific waffle and tripe, may yea never view this. For yea faithful, I grant to you this to make up for chapter three. All action, all-fighting. And finally, a Transformer goes head to head with a Gundam, or five. Tis' a momentous occasion in fanfic history.  
  
IMPORTANT: One clever reviewer has pointed out the major discrepancy in my work; that the transformers do not gain earthen modes until waken up by the volcano. Therefore, how does Starscream have an F-15 jet mode? Rest assured this is going to be explained in chapter five. To those who read the TF Dreamwave comics the name Adam Rook and Lazarus Project may ring a bell.  
  
REVIEWS:  
  
Yeah! Ten reviews in five days! You like me! You really like me! Now then, the following are to be thanked for reviews posted on both the GW version and the TF version of this work.  
  
RANEKO: They are going to be surprised, and it's going to happen RIGHT NOW!  
  
RA88: Very kind. Yes, it was the news of Devil's Due  
TF/GIJoe comic that sparked off this idea, because when Cobra  
Commander enters the ark, I noticed how similar his uniform is  
to Treize's. Originally, this was going to be set in the war  
with Treize present, but I rewrote it when I decided it really  
clashed with continuality.  
  
STELARTRON: Well my brother is proved right. He said an  
introduction was necessary to introduce GW to TF fans and he was  
right, because you seem to like this. I can't believe people who  
only know about half the characters and backstory are reading  
this, WOW!  
  
:): You are really too kind, but I agree with you on the Beast  
Wars good, Beast Machines crap debate. Optimus became far too  
serene and spiritual in BM, but BW was great, particularly the  
episodes that starred the original TFs, such as Starscream's  
ghost in 'Possession' and the fantastic flashbacks in the last  
three episodes of series two.  
  
MATTMAN65: In response to your question, right now.  
  
Thankyou all you wonderful people and I hope this new chapter  
lives up to your expectations.  
  
CHAPTER 4.  
  
OFF THE NORTH COAST OF ALASKA  
  
The light wind scattered a small amount of snow over the polar ice cap. The vast flat ice plain was barren and deserted, sparkling under the clear azure skies.  
  
If an observer had been able to see through the thick ice and snow, he would have seen an interesting sight. Rising up out of the frigid depths, a massive black mass shot towards the ice-capped surface with frightening speed.  
  
With a 'KKKRUNNCH' that was most likely heard by the mainland, Genesis' reinforced conning tower and missile desk smashed through the thick layer of ice, coming to rest in the middle of the blank, open, uninhabited landscape, like an inkblot on an otherwise unspoilt peace of paper.  
  
*  
  
Inside the mobile suit bay, the atmosphere was halfway between that of a solemn funeral and a festival. There was a feeling of mute anticipation in the air, an eagerness by the engineers to see what they had slaved over for weeks finally take flight, yet nervousness, knowledge that they were now part of a mystery centuries old.  
  
Howard however, could always be relied on to lighten a situation. As Zechs stepped into the main bay, clad in a flight suit, he was greeted with a slightly unnerving sight.  
  
A red carpet had been laid along the gantry he would walk along to board the Grumman. On the lower deck, the mechanical equipment had been cleared to the side of the compartment so that the whole crew could stand in the centre of the bay.  
  
Each person was wearing red clothing! Over the submarine's intercom, the chorus of 'Gimn Sovetskogo Sojuza' played loudly. As Zechs stepped out onto the gantry, he was accosted by Howard and Noin. Howard had redonned his Captain's outfit, complete with incorrect medals, and Noin was wearing her severe black jumpsuit, complimented by the small fur cap Howard had given her. Both wore serious expressions but were obviously trying to suppress massive laughs.  
  
Howard stepped up to Zechs, and addressed him in a rather convincing Russian accent.  
  
"A great day my comrade. We sail into history."  
  
Zechs looked around, and couldn't help but smile. "You sly devil. Are trying to deliberately put me off?"  
  
Howard adopted a hurt expression.  
  
"Comrade Zechs, surely the maiden flight of the 'Rodina's' most recent achievement deserves some form of ceremony."  
  
While this repartee was being bounced back and forth, they had proceeded along the gantry till they reached the cockpit, "And now I will ask the beautiful 'Starshina' Noin to christen our child."  
  
Noin stepped forward, carrying a litre of vodka. In a stiff, military tone she addressed the suit.  
  
"May you bring swift devastation to our imperialist enemies," she then proceeded to take a hefty slug of the vodka before throwing the bottle at the suit's closed cockpit. As it smashed against the orange glass and the thin liquid trickled down the suit's torso, the assembled audience all dropped any military presence and went into a storm of claps, cheers, wolf whistles and cat calls.  
  
Zechs swung open the cockpit door and Noin gave him a final hug. As she did she whispered into his ear, "don't go away for too long."  
  
"I'll be back."  
  
With that they parted and Zechs climbed into the cockpit. As it sealed itself the massive doors above the suit swung open with a grating noise like nails on a chalkboard. Cold air and a brief flurry of snow swept into the compartment, which was quickly vacated.  
  
Inside the Grumman Zechs sat in silent contemplation for several seconds, his fingers steepled before firing up the controls.  
  
FLUX INGESTION SYSTEM: ACTIVE  
  
FUSION REACTOR: ACTIVE  
  
HYDRAULICS: ACTIVE  
  
ENGINES: INACTIVE, PRIMED  
  
TALLGEESE THRUSTERS: NOT PRESENT  
  
CONTROLS: ACTIVE  
  
CRYOGENIC PLANT: ACTIVE  
  
WEAPONS: ACTIVE  
  
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT: ACTIVE  
  
SENSOR ARRAY: ACTIVE  
  
FLUX CAPACITORS: CHARGED  
  
ZERO SYSTEM: INACTIVE, BYPASSED  
  
LASER NEURON: ACTIVE, BYPASSED  
  
"Right," Zechs murmured. We're ready to roll.  
  
Slowly, he reached out, and flipped the ignition switch on the engines.  
  
*  
  
Noin and Howard were staring out of the small windows that faced forward out of the conning tower. As they watched, a harsh screaming filled the air. Slowly, but gracefully, the Grumman rose out of the main hanger, suspended on pillars of blue fire. Beneath their feet, the sub reverberated with the impact of the thrusters.  
  
As the Grumman rose high into the sky, Zechs began running some diagnostics to check how the suit was handling with everything at full power. All the batteries and capacitors had a full charge, the fuel tank was on the verge of overflowing, and the engines were running at full power but were barely heating up. The cold fusion thrusters were very fuel-efficient.  
  
'Now then, lets see what this suit can do..."  
  
Zechs pulled right back on the throttles and the transformation lever and the Grumman shot skywards like a rocket, snapping to it's jet mode with the same strange electrical rumble; Below, the observers on the Genesis could only watch in amazement as it disappeared from view in a matter of seconds. The only thing they could see was the cold blue light of the exhaust, now a pinprick in the clear sky. Latta spun from his radio uplink to the suit's computer.  
  
"He just passed the 50,000 foot mark in less than 10 seconds! He's running at near Mach 8 and hasn't even kicked in the afterburners!"  
  
Howard whistled appreciatively, "Whoever designed this suit knew what they were doin'," Noin could only watch numbly while nodding very slowly.  
  
The cockpit altimeter was registering over 100,000 feet above sea level when Zechs cut out the engines and pulled the jet back to mech mode. By that point he was nearly in the upper atmosphere and had a very brief glimpse of the moon before it slid vertically out of view. As he fell vertically back to earth he pulled a number of brisk acrobatic manoeuvres, amazed at the suit's instantaneous response to even the slightest touch on the controls.  
  
'This is amazing. I need not have any worries about my skills surpassing 'this' suit's abilities!'  
  
So thrilled was he with what he had discovered he decided to take a risk. Like a skydiver, he adjusted the mech so that it was now parallel to the ground, horizontal. He tucked the arms in to the sides and waited, as the Alaskan ice plains loomed larger in his field of view.  
  
"What is he doing!?" Latta stared out of the Genesis' small window at the vertical streak high in the sky that denoted the suit's course. It was plummeting straight down.  
  
"Damn fool's going to destroy my beautiful suit." Howard muttered, his usual laughing face now deadly serious, his eyes as usual unreadable, hidden by the sunglasses he never removed.  
  
"Could he have passed out in the cockpit? Because he's now falling at nearly a 1000 ft per second," Latta was on the verge of hysterics, "is he mad?"  
  
"No," Noin smiled, "he's playing the game."  
  
Zechs had now spread out the suit's arms and legs like a professional skydiver, partly to help him manoeuvre towards where he wanted to be most, and also to decelerate. The suit's reaction time to his commands was excellent, but he was not going to completely trust his life to a machine.  
  
'Not yet, not yet, wait for it...'  
  
10,000 feet.  
  
He pushed down on his joystick, now the suit was falling headfirst.  
  
7,000 feet.  
  
'Wait...'  
  
5000...4000...2000.  
  
"NOW!"  
  
Howard, Noin and Latta were privy to a spectacular sight. At less than 1500 feet above the ground, Zechs threw the transformation lever and pulled back on the sticks. The time it took for the suit to become a plane and pull up was near instantaneous with the high airspeed, but by the point that Zechs was hurtling over the ice plains at near eight times the speed of sound, he was less than 100 feet off the ground.  
  
"Phew! Right then Grumman, you've proved your manoeuvrability, now let's see what your arsenal can do."  
  
Zechs reduced the throttles and went into a series of sharp turns to reduce his airspeed. In a few seconds he was cruising slowly over the plains at less than 90 knots, still fast to an observer, but a mere crawl to the pilot.  
  
"Right Genesis, let's give you a little fireworks display..."  
  
Zechs was now bearing down on the submarine from dead ahead, nose down slightly. He flipped a switch, "weapons armed."  
  
"Howard, do you have another pair of sunglasses on you?"  
  
Silently, Howard produced the requested item and handed them to Noin without taking his eyes off the approaching aircraft. Around them, crewmembers were edging back from the windows. Only Howard Noin and Latta stood fast, their faces almost pressed against the nine-inch thick glass. Noin casually slipped them on. Latta glanced at her, and then shielded his eyes against what he had guessed what was coming.  
  
The Genesis loomed larger and larger in Zechs' eyes. He trimmed his height, just high enough so that he would barely scrape over the conning tower. A message flashed up on his main console, "all ballistic and energy weapons cross-linked and ready to fire."  
  
"Very well...Let the show begin."  
  
As the jet swooped low over the nose of the submarine, the missiles released, streaking either side of the conning tower and detonating with enough force to rock the sub. The windows in the tower were facing away from the blast but the glare was enough to make several crew members scream in sudden fear, only to realise they were still among the living.  
  
As soon as the missiles had launched, Zechs pulled hard back on the stick, pulling a half loop and then a barrel role so that he was now flying right way up, away from the Genesis. With a brief hand gesture he fired the charge from all ten banks of capacitors into the lasers mounted under the wings. The resulting purple beams were hot enough to melt the ice it was targeted on before it even struck. Two plumes of superheated steam rose high into the sky as the Grumman shot between them, dropping neat rows of cluster bombs, leaving a blooming trail of destruction in its wake.  
  
As Zechs tipped his wings in an offhand salute, Howard rubbed his chin as Noin handed back the borrowed sunglasses, "Very impressive Zechs my boy."  
  
The other crewmembers were too stunned to speak; they were all seeing purple dots in front of their eyes, which gradually began to fade.  
  
As Zechs came round in a slow bank to transform and land back on the Genesis, a glaring alarm filled the cockpit.  
  
"ALERT! ALERT! INCOMING MISSILE!"  
  
'What!'  
  
By instinct, Zechs slewed the jet to port. It saved his life. As soon as he completed the manoeuvre a missile streaked past, which would have surely hit had he not jinked the plane about in surprise.  
  
As he recovered he flipped the transformation lever and spun the suit around to face his aggressor. His blood ran cold.  
  
'Shit!'  
  
Five sinister figures hovered less than quarter of a mile ahead of him. It did not take a genius to identify the five mobile suits. The bristling weaponry, the elegant bodywork, the ornate armour, the regally crowned heads.  
  
The Gundams had come to play.  
  
For a second the five suits just hovered there, sizing up the opponents. Though Zechs had briefly felt fear, that was a reflex to seeing the familiar suits. The Gundams and their pilots were now part of the Preventers group, used to maintain the peace and deal with those who sought to take control in a relatively unarmed world.  
  
*  
  
Heero Yuy scowled at the suit that faced him. From his seat in the cockpit of the imposing Wing Zero, he could command a military force second to none, and had at his disposal reams of information on every known weapon in the world. But this red suit, was unlike anything he had every seen. And this troubled him.  
  
"What in the heck is that!?" The stunned voice of the braided 'baka' Duo Maxwell, pilot of the sinister Deathscythe Hell cut across his speaker.  
  
"I thought we were coming out here for maintenance, I didn't expect this," the calm, collective tones of Trowa Barton, steadfast master of the Heavyarms.  
  
"Whatever it is, it does not look that impressive. It is surely weak compared to my Altron." Chang Wufei's arrogant voice spoke for itself.  
  
"Can we afford to get into a fight?" the reasoning Quatre Winner cut in, "we're all down on ammunition and we've taken a substantial amount of damage from that battle near Fairbanks."  
  
"Well whatever it is, it was attacking Howard's sub, and that's what we've flown for hours to get to for maintenance. I not letting it go down yet." And with that, the Deathscythe Hell charged at the mystery suit, its deadly beam scythe raised high.  
  
"Duo wait!" But the reckless pilot had already started laying into the Grumman, or trying to, as the suit was managing to evade his every swing with lightening speed.  
  
*  
  
Zechs was amazed with the fury with which the black Gundam attacked, but was also relieved. So angry was the pilot that he was not fighting to the best of his ability. He was surprised at the sudden attack, but hoped that Duo would come to his senses and realise he was not the aggressor. Zechs spun, ignited the Grumman's afterburners and thrusted himself away from the rampaging suit. He twisted, faced the suit, which was preparing to thrust at him again, and fired the EMP rifle.  
  
Duo braced himself for the worst as the mystery suit aimed on him and fired. Nothing happened. Duo smirked and crowed his challenge.  
  
"You thought that would hurt me? I am the GREAT DESTROYER!"  
  
As if proving that pride comes before a fall, the cockpit lights and monitors went out. In the darkness Duo muttered to himself, "Why did I have to open my big mouth?"  
  
*  
  
Zechs watched astounded as the Gundam went limp, the scythe flickering out and dropping from its fingers, the glowing green optics dulled.  
  
'Howard was right about that EMP rifle. Now to finish the job.'  
  
Zechs instantly switched over to the standard laser and dumped the full capacitor charge into it, aiming just below the Deathscythe's torso. Unable to shield itself against the blast, the Deathscythe's entire left leg was blown off at the hip! Smoking, the suit collapsed on its side.  
  
The other Gundam pilots could only stare in amazement. Deathscythe was one of the most powerful weapons in existence and this new suit had managed to wound it with almost no effort.  
  
Only the calm Trowa took action. While Zechs as well stared at what he had accomplished without thinking about it, Heavyarms brought two of it's four massive Gatling cannons to bear, shooting the two lasers off the Grumman's upper arms with a concentrated burst of fire.  
  
Enraged that he had allowed himself to become distracted, Zechs fired a volley of cluster bombs at the dark green suit, which leapt into the air with a deft acrobatic flip as the ground beneath it exploded in a titanic blast. As it reached the apex of it's soar, then Heavyarms pulled a neat backwards somersault before coming right down on the Grumman, kicking it to the ground and standing over it, bringing the four Gatling guns to bear.  
  
"KLIK!"  
  
The four barrels spun uselessly. Out of bullets. As Trowa reached across to fire his missiles, Zechs took his chance.  
  
Trowa's eyes widened as two Gatling barrels appeared out of recesses in the Grumman's torso.  
  
'Damn it!'  
  
The two barrels fired straight into the Gundam's head, shredding it like cardboard, ripping apart the cameras and sensors, effectively blinding the pilot. Zechs kept on firing until the two guns ran empty. As the Gundam's head exploded, Zechs kicked the blinded robot off him, trying to collect himself, only to be knocked to the side by a massive force.  
  
"TROWA!" With an agonised cry as his lover's suit collapsed to the side, Quatre had thrown his suit, Sandrock onto the front of the Grumman, knocking it right down, the Gundam on top of it. Were the situation less deadly it would have been a rather laughable position, but as the two suits locked hands and pushed against each other, the situation could not have been less serious.  
  
Zechs gave a humourless grin as the Grumman strained to lift the Sandrock off it.  
  
"So we're evenly matched." He considered his options. There were none. He couldn't fire his missiles because the blast would severely damage himself. Also, he didn't want to kill Quatre. His defeat of the Deathscythe and Heavyarms were done in a manner so as not to harm the pilot. If his radio signal weren't getting jammed by the Gundams he'd tell them they were on the same side, but he had to fight to defend himself.  
  
He realised there was only one thing he could do to readdress the balance of power, risky as it was. He reached out and flipped two small switches.  
  
ZERO SYSTEM ACTIVE, BYPASS OFF  
  
LASER NEURON ACTIVE, BYPASS OFF  
  
Zechs felt the familiar disorientation as the zero system probed his mind, but this time it was different. A wave of extreme nausea swept over him.  
  
Deep in the Grumman's core, the laser neuron began to fire up, lasers firing rapidly and constantly into the gas core.  
  
*  
  
"Howard, Noin! Look at this!"  
  
The two spun from where they were observing the battle with looks of awe on their faces.  
  
"What is it Chris?"  
  
"Look," Latta pointed towards the bank of consoles relaying information from the Grumman's computer. All had switched to the same screen. A diagram of the suit appeared on the left half of the screen, the right half was divided into two sections. On top, a graphic of the strange purple symbol that decorated the suit's wings rotated slowly. Underneath, a diagnostics box appeared.  
  
DCON. SEEKER UNIT.0384762  
  
INITIATING REBOOT  
  
RUNNING DIAGNOSTICS: 100% SYSTEM PARAMETERS CHECK: 25% MAINFRAME CHECK: 10.5% MAIN MEMORY REBOOT: 1% PERSONALITY REBOOT: 0.2% FINAL REBOOT: 0%  
  
TIME TILL FINAL REBOOT: 5 MINS, 48 SECS.  
  
"Seeker. What the hell's a Seeker?" Howard scratched his head. Latta spoke up.  
  
"I think it's the classification of our mystery suit."  
  
Noin finished scanning over the list, "My God...It's not a suit at all."  
  
"What!?"  
  
Ignoring them, Noin wheeled and ran to the radio uplink to Zechs.  
  
"Zechs! Zechs can you hear me. You've gotta get out of that suit. You've got less than five minutes. Please listen to me!"  
  
Howard checked the uplink.  
  
"He can't hear you Noin. There's so much Gundanium flying around out there that the radio signal's getting distorted!"  
  
Noin pounded her hand against the window in desperation, tears in her eyes, "ZECHS!"  
  
TIME TILL FINAL REBOOT: 5 MINS, 00 SECS.  
  
The wave of nausea passed as fast as it came. Zechs opened his eyes, and smiled.  
  
What he saw was not the cockpit interior, but the Sandrock at his eye level, and he realised he was looking 'through' the suit's optics. He looked down at the suit's arm, no HIS arm and made a fist. He looked into the Sandrock's optics, and very slowly, smiled.  
  
"Quatre sat in his chair, rigid with fright. Before him, the suit's dull eyes had glowed a bright ruby red, and the placid, immobile face had broken into a smirk he knew very well.  
  
"Zechs?" He breathed. "Is that you?"  
  
The suits lips broke apart, and it spoke with Zechs' voice.  
  
"Here's a hint!"  
  
With that, Zechs punched Sandrock in the face with all the force his metal sinews could muster. Quatre's suit reeled back, and Zechs leapt up in the air and with a roundhouse kick, sent the Gundam flying.  
  
The Sandrock fell on it's back and didn't move. Zechs punched the air in triumph and laughed. But it was not his usual calm chuckle, but a manic twisted scream of insane glee.  
  
Inside Sandrock, Quatre stared at nothing.  
  
'I thought we were on the same team?'  
  
4 MINS 12 SECS  
  
Heero and Wufei stared at the suit screaming at the heavens. They had seen lot in their short lives but they knew one thing. No mobile suit was that manoeuvrable, and no mobile suit had ever, ever spoken. Heero felt a chill run up his spine, and he realised with an equally big chill, he was afraid. It was not an emotion he often dealt with, and that scared him even more. But he had to do something.  
  
Zechs stopped laughing and wondered where that insane scream had come from. It wasn't in his nature. His moment of contemplation was cut short however as Wing Zero streaked overhead in it's bird mode, strafing him with missiles. He grinned.  
  
"So you want to play do you?" Zechs murmured, forgetting that he now had the opportunity to call off the senseless fight. There was a new fire in his veins; a desire to kill and destroy that flooded every fibre of his being. And he didn't know where it had come from. He willed the transformation sequence to begin and then felt the odd sensation of his limbs bending in odd directions and his body twisting and changing. With another moment of intense bloodthirsty joy he ignited his engines and took to the sky. Now, he was in his element.  
  
3 MINS 30 SECS  
  
The two aircraft streaked over the snow, equally matched as they danced their deadly game. Below, Wufei began using the Altron to gather up the fallen Gundams and carry them towards the Genesis, which was already spewing crewmen eager to aid the young pilots.  
  
"You're weak."  
  
"What!"  
  
"You're weak Zech Marquise. You only beat the others because you had the advantage over them. Do you dare to duel with me? No missiles, no lasers, just beam sabres."  
  
"Very well. We never finished that duel we started in Siberia, and continued in Antarctica and outer space. I'd say the terrain is pretty much the same. Cold and lifeless" Zechs chuckled slightly, before his gaze went slightly out of focus, "for the glory of the Decepticons, I'LL CRUSH YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS!"  
  
Heero frowned; something Zechs had just said had rang a bell in his head. But it was too late to start analysing Zech's words.  
  
The two massive mechs dropped to the ground near the Genesis and stood up, facing each other. Wing Zero threw away its massive buster rifle and produced a green beam sabre. Zechs pulled one of the energy shields clipped to his wings and attached it to the vacant capacitor port on his left arm. In his right hand he produced a purple sabre.  
  
Heero nodded slightly, impressed with Zech's comprehensive arsenal before the two titans fell upon each other, sabres clashing, flashing and making noise like the harbingers of apocalypse. The two sabres were of even power, and the two suits were also equals in strength, but the speed with which Zechs fought and reacted to Heero's actions was dazzling. It was becoming clear to Heero he was fighting a losing battle.  
  
1 MIN 00 SECS  
  
Zechs bashed the Gundam in the chest with his shield. As the Wing Zero staggered he cut the green sabre from the mech's hand with his own; it flew in the air only to be sliced in half by the purple blade.  
  
0 MIN 35 SECS  
  
With a sweeping kick he cut the legs out from underneath the wing zero and stood poised over it, sabre held over his head like a stake, ready to strike through the Wing Zero's chest and destroy both the suit and the pilot. Heero sat back in his seat and prepared himself for death. He paused. What should be his final words? His lips parted, and he mouthed a brief phrase.  
  
"Goodbye, Relena..."  
  
0 MIN 5 SECS  
  
Zechs screamed a final cry before bringing the sabre sweeping down, "DIE AUTOBOT!"  
  
0 MIN 0 SECS. FULL SYSTEM REBOOT COMPLETE. UNIT ON LINE.  
  
The sabre's tip stopped mere inches from Wing Zero's cockpit. The blade flickered out and fell from the suit's hands, which were beginning to shake and gyrate rapidly. Heero watched on in horrified amazement as the suit clutched at its head, screaming like a wounded beast.  
  
"ARRRGGGHHH!!NOOOOO!!!"  
  
Heero squinted. He could hear two distinct voices in that scream. One was undoubtedly Zechs, but the other was different. A cold, inhuman screech.  
  
Still screaming like the world was ending, the robot transformed to jet mode and streaked into the atmosphere, the screeching cries dwindling as it soared out of view. Heero watched it in horrified amazement, before succumbing to the darkness that lurked at the edge of his vision and slipping into unconsciousness.  
  
*  
  
The aircraft streaked high in the upper atmosphere. It had longed stopped screaming but it was confused. The world below it was an alien one, but at the same time he knew it. Faces swam in it's mind as two consciousnesses combined. Memories from two different worlds collided in its mind.  
  
'Who am I? I don't know!...can't think...must find Mega...find the Nemesis...need to report to Treize, who is Treize? ARRRGHHHH!'  
  
Screaming again, the aircraft nosed down hard, threatening to go into a fatal nosedive, before levelling out and flying steadily. It breathed out. The words were slow and unsteady, but they held a minute degree of confidence.  
  
'We are Starscream.'  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
AUTHOR NOTE.  
  
It is done. The first transformer has awakened, and more will soon follow in its footsteps. In the next chapter there's a load of action, but after that, I'm dropping multiple bombshells on the transformer side of the fic to make up for the emphasis on GW so far. Briefly, the war is over, but there's two new menaces arising, on that threatens to destroy all Transformers and mankind alike.  
  
CHAPTER NOTES:  
  
Yes, a Typhoon can ram its way through several feet of ice. It was designed to do this to fire its missiles on the decadent west.  
  
'Gimn Sovetskogo Sojuza' is the national anthem of the Soviet Union.  
  
A 'Starshina' is a Russian officer of low-to medium rank i.e. Lieutenant. However, it seems in the future, ranks have changed. Zechs starts out in the TV show and he's second in command of OZ. Also when Treize promotes him he skips straight over the ranks of Captain, Major and probably another one to become a Colonel.  
  
For those who haven't guessed, Zechs is taking the 'Grumman' for a test ride to put it through its paces.  
  
Massive out of characterness for Noin, the ice maiden of Russia!  
  
Mach 8 is eight times the speed of sound. SG1 Starscream could only reach Mach 2.5, so I'm sure he's grateful to Howard's crew for his new AC engines.  
  
Is 100,000 ft altitude high enough to reach a view of the moon?  
  
A skydiving Transformer. I'm either very imaginative, or very deranged/sad/weird. Take your pick.  
  
The missile fired at Zechs came from Heavyarms.  
  
Duo's acting rash even for him.  
  
The Gundams are those of endless waltz, except for Deathscythe Hell, which I imagine in its series form and Wing Zero, which I can't imagine with FRIGGIN' ANGEL WINGS! (I apologise for my uncouth language.)  
  
Yes, a gundam (or two) has been grievously wounded in battle for the first time ever! (Sandrock doesn't count as it effectively committed suicide to protect Quatre)  
  
Once again, Heavyarms comes across it's main weakness. Once it's out of ammo, it's effectively screwed.  
  
Yaoi! I support the 3x4 (QxT) movement. It's practically cannon despite those people who try and set Quatre up with Dorothy EVIL EYEBROWS! Catalonia.  
  
Seeker is a fan name for the decepticon jets, which has now become part of the TF cannon.  
  
Shows how much I love Noin when she's the first to realise that the TFs aren't mobile suits at all!  
  
Film reference(s) should be pretty obvious to TF fans, "Here's a hint" and "I'll crush you with my bare hands" are both prominent lines from the 1986 Transformers movie.  
  
Yes, I believe Heero loves Relena, unlike 75% of the universe who believe she must die including my kid brother. (Sometimes when she waxes long and poetic about the nature of pacifism I agree with him.)  
  
To quote Starscream himself from 'Ghost in the machine' "I live again!" (I cried when he was resurrected from the undead)  
  
To put it simply, Zechs has been binary-bonded with Starscream (re: Headmasters and Targetmasters for TF fans). However, because both are unaware of the other's presence they are both extremely confused when their minds merge (and in a great deal of pain).  
  
To recap on the situation. Wing Zero is battered but active. Altron is undamaged. Sandrock has mild structural damage, but nothing critical. Heavyarms now lacks a head, and Deathscythe Hell has lost its leg!  
  
Starscream's arsenal is now thus:  
  
12 missiles (6 used up in display for Genesis) 4 torpedoes (unused) 2 EMP rifles/null rays (shot off by Heavyarms and not recovered.) Cluster bombs (50% depleted) 2 Mini Gatling Guns (Used up on Heavyarms) 2 Energy shields (present on his back)  
  
Tune in again for the next exciting instalment of my epic saga, in which Starscream/Zechs goes mad, the Genesis is attacked and Duo takes charge (?). Yes, I'm mad.  
  
(Gets weird look in eyes)  
  
Now go.Destroy the Autobot Matrix, and all Mary-Sues! 


	6. More than meets the eye

DISCLAIMER:  
  
I own this? Do you think I own this? Because the answer is NO!  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE.  
  
Sorry for the long period since the last update. My family went on a surprise holiday and though I took this with me on a floppy disk I couldn't find a computer to upload it on. I am again sorry, but I promise to try to upload a chapter a day (or more) for the next few days.  
  
CHAPTER 5. MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE  
  
The last thing Heero remembered was watching the strange suit Zechs was flying take off into the stratosphere. But the sight he saw now was completely different.  
  
A pale white ceiling, lined with halogen lights filled his field of view. His mind, still panicked from the battle, came to a rather inaccurate conclusion.  
  
'I've been captured.'  
  
Soldier reflexes honed to perfection by years of combat, the wiry 17-year old vaulted off the surface he was on, and grabbed the nearest person he saw, grabbing them to serve as a human shield against any aggressors.  
  
"Heero!"  
  
Heero blinked and recognised the person he had grabbed.  
  
Noin peeled Heero's fingers from around her neck and turned to face him, fire in her eyes. Surprise registered on his face, aged beyond his years, and he surveyed the room he was in.  
  
He was in a small hospital ward. With only four other beds and no windows, it was odd to say the least. Noin rubbed her eyes.  
  
"You're not in a war anymore Heero," she put a hand on his shoulder. In his usual monotone, he responded.  
  
"Maybe you should tell that to your boyfriend."  
  
Hurt, Noin sat down on the bed Heero had just vacated. Gradually, he took in who was in each bunk.  
  
Duo was curled up in a ball on his bunk, snoring loudly, a smile on his face, mumbling in his sleep.  
  
"I am the great destroyer...kill...destroy...Deathscythe maim...bitch Relena..."  
  
Heero smiled slightly. Duo never got round to fully trusting Relena. In his eyes, anyone who tried to destroy all weapons in the interests of total pacifism was either certifiable or planning something behind their back. As he moved onto the next bed, he heard Duo mumble something else, "Mmm....tomato ketchup."  
  
Trowa was sitting up in his bed, his head and torso heavily bandaged, silently reading 'War and Peace.' He looked up briefly from his page and made eye contact with Heero. Both nodded slightly by way of greeting.  
  
Like Trowa, Wufei was reading. Sitting cross-legged on his face he was consulting the legendry guide to combat, 'The Art of War'. Unlike Trowa, he did not look up.  
  
The last bed was occupied by Quatre, who had an IV drip in his arm. Heero glanced up from his placid, peaceful face to see what kind of doctor was tending to him and grunted with surprise.  
  
"Sally."  
  
Sally Po turned at him and smiled, "Well, I see the perfect soldier is awake at last."  
  
Heero gestured at the ward.  
  
"How long have we been here?"  
  
"Two days. When I heard you lot had been injured I flew down here to check up on you." Heero wasn't surprised. Sally was well known for her care for the young Preventers and her skills as a doctor were famed.  
  
"How did I get here?"  
  
"Wufei carried you. When he saw Zechs take off he picked up Wing Zero and carried you here. You've been receiving treatment for minor hypothermia and malnutrition. Trowa received heavy burns to his head and chest when Heavyarm's head exploded and Quatre's in a coma."  
  
"Duo?"  
  
"Duo's fine. He had a minor case of shock. When his Gundam lost power he was sealed in the cockpit in complete darkness for over an hour before Howard's team could cut him out. They found him in a catatonic state chewing on his braid. I think he's afraid of the dark. They gave him enough sedatives to knock out an elephant and let him sleep it off."  
  
"What's wrong with Quatre?" Trowa had gotten out of bed without anyone noticing and walked over to them. Heero winced, not a frequent occurrence. What little he could see of Trowa's flesh was burned and had large amounts of antiseptic smeared on it. His face miraculously, was unharmed.  
  
"Like I said to Heero, he's in a shock induced coma. Apparently when they brought him in here he was conscious and mumbling before he slipped off. Something about 'red eyes' and 'Zechs being the suit.' We've been supplying him with nutrients and stimulants to try and wake him up."  
  
Trowa by now had sat on the edge of Quatre's bed, rubbing the unconscious boy's hand. Heero was surprised. Was that emotion he could see in Trowa's one visible eye?  
  
Slowly and very self-consciously, Trowa leaned down and placed a gentle, lingering kiss on Quatre's lips. Heero looked away for a second to grant them privacy. Trowa and Quatre's 'relationship' was pretty well known, but no one had ever seen them display any open signs of affection for each other. He looked at Noin sitting on his bunk, staring at her feet in misery. Heero felt a surge of guilt.  
  
"Hn."  
  
Noin looked up; Heero was wearing his usual blank expression, but was not looking directly at her face.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Pardon."  
  
"I'm sorry for hurting your feelings."  
  
Noin stared in amazement, before grinning slightly.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
That burden off his chest, Heero turned back to Quatre's bunk. Trowa had stopped kissing him but was still stoking his hand.  
  
"Hi!"  
  
Heero raised an eyebrow. It seemed that Quatre had woken up, wonder of all wonders. Unlike Noin or Sally however, he did not rush to the bedside, but instead, lay back on his bunk, and for the first time in his life, felt safe in a hospital.  
  
His ears pricked up. A piece of music was playing gently over the ward PA. As he watched Quatre sitting up in bed and staring with open affection at Trowa, who had returned to 'War and Peace'. He smiled slightly and lay back as the voice of the late Huey Lewis continued to sing about 'The Power of Love.'  
  
As he lay there, he began to play back the battle in his head. There was something that irked him.  
  
Suddenly, he sat up.  
  
"Adam Rook."  
  
*  
  
'We were both born to fight. So let our enemies fall before us.'  
  
'Who is our enemy?'  
  
'The Autobots, but they are nowhere to be found.'  
  
'Then who do we fight?'  
  
'Those who attacked us. Who were they?'  
  
'The gundams, but they are my allies.'  
  
'Would 'allies' attack us?'  
  
'No but...'  
  
'Then they are our enemies, these Gundams.'  
  
'Our enemies...'  
  
'And we will destroy them.'  
  
'Yes...'  
  
'And their allies.'  
  
'Yes...'  
  
'Then it is settled. We shall crush our enemies, and from their ashes, we shall reap conquest.'  
  
'Yes...yes, I like that.'  
  
"CONQUEST IS MADE FROM THE ASHES OF OUR ENEMIES!"  
  
And with that bizarre twin voice, the sleek jet plunged from orbit into the atmosphere.  
  
*  
  
"Decepticons."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That's what 'Zechs' yelled before he took off."  
  
"Does it mean anything to you?"  
  
"Yes, yes it does."  
  
Heero had been sitting typing at his laptop for over half an hour. After hooking the computer up to Genesis' mainframe he had shut up, only uttering his customary "Hn." However, he finally lent back, and picked up a sheaf of paper the mainframe's printer had spewed forth.  
  
He turned to face the few others grouped in the control room. The four other pilots all leaned against equipment or railings. Noin, Howard, Sally and Latta were all present as well. After they had given a run down on everything they knew on the suit Heero had cleared the control room of the crew and handed out the eight dossiers he had printed.  
  
Each was rather alarmingly labelled. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------  
  
CONFIDENTIAL NSA/CIA/FBI DOCUMENT.  
  
ROOK DOSSIER  
  
THIS FILE IS CLASSIFIED TOP SECRET-AUTHORISED ONLY TO THOSE WITH GRADE 2. CLEARANCE OR HIGHER.  
  
Examination by unauthorised persons is a federal offence punishable by fines and imprisonment up to 20 years and $20,000.  
  
Repeating of this information to persons unauthorised is a federal offence and carries the same fines and/or period of imprisonment.  
  
DO NOT ACCEPT FROM COURIER IF SEAL IS BROKEN  
  
The courier is required by law to demand your card 7592. He is not permitted to relinquish this file without such proof of identity. The courier is authorised to use any means necessary to prevent theft of this document and carries a loaded firearm.  
  
DOC. REF.  
  
CIA/NSA/FBI02384495AUT/CON.C-TRONWARS.RK/TL-BAN.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------  
  
"Is this legal?" Duo was holding the document at arm's length as though it would sprout arms and cuff' his wrists.  
  
"Yes," Heero was now holding his own document. "Not only are all preventers cleared with Grade 1. security but the United States government has been liquidated for nearly a century and a half," he paused, "as any 5 year old knows." Duo blushed.  
  
"Also, nearly every 5-year old knows that all files of defunct governments are stored electronically at the world parliament at Brussels, on a computer network believed to be impregnable, but which for the past seven years has been happily leaking me information."  
  
Sally leant back in her seat, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Let me guess. You overcame the lack of any physical connection from the network to the Internet by breaking in and installing a satellite uplink. And you did it at the age of ten."  
  
Heero nodded.  
  
"Operation Meteor wasn't the first time I came to earth. It was partly a test to see if I could infiltrate security. I was on and off earth within seven hours."  
  
"Where did you hide it?"  
  
"Janitor's closet on the fifth level. There's a modem box in there that interconnects the parliament computer system. I replaced the modem with one J had modified to create a link to the outside using the building's own communications dish. Utterly untraceable. The transmitter is programmed to switch frequencies every tenth of a second. Only this," he rested the hand on his laptop, "has the programming necessary to translate what sounds like garbage or static to anyone else into maximum security files. Picks it up through the sub's uplink."  
  
Duo leaned forward in his seat.  
  
"Top secret files? From every government in recent history?" His eyes shone, "were there aliens at Roswell? Was the Titanic sunk in an insurance fraud by the White Star Line? Was..."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Eyes spun to Wufei, who took a deep breath.  
  
"Yuy's hardly going to waste his time hacking files like this looking for sensationalist tripe!"  
  
Heero grunted.  
  
"Let's get on with this."  
  
All flipped open their files and were faced with a high quality Polaroid of a handsome, if somewhat troubled man. The hair was sleek auburn and close- cut. The features were elegantly chiselled. Noin was reminded oddly of the twentieth century actor Sean Bean. The face however, was drawn and haggard, the chin had a growth of stubble. The eyes were deep and sunken and conveyed a sense of great malevolence.  
  
"Adam Rook." Trowa was reading from his sheet in a clear voice, "History: Born December 20th 1962 to English parents in Vancouver, Canada. Graduated from MIT in 1982 with several degrees in engineering and started up his mining company, Rook Engineering with funds obtained from industrialist GB Blackrock in 1983. Among leases in various tracts of land Rook purchased the rights to mine Mt. St.Hillary in Oregon, USA in that same year," Noin looked up briefly, "Despite threats of a violent eruption Rook mined the mountain for several months before closing the mine down, for reasons unknown. Shortly after he closed the mine it was obliterated by the predicted eruption. In 1993 Rook abruptly liquidated Rook Engineering and started up a new firm, Cybertronics, which specialised in microchip development and manufacture."  
  
Trowa came to the end of the page and flipped over, but was faced with the disturbing warning from the front page. Eye raised slightly, he flipped it over to reveal the next page of text, stamped 'TOP SECRET' in thick red letters.  
  
"Man, these people were paranoid about security." Duo was reading the warning again.  
  
Trowa remained silent and Heero took up the telling of the tale. His narration wasn't needed however; his audience had their eyes fixed to the file, which apparently made for compelling reading.  
  
"Where Rook obtained the funds to start up Cybertronics was unknown, but later clandestine reports indicated suspicious business practices. It seems Rook as well as selling his remaining stock and hardware from the liquidation and at the same time receiving exuberant sums of money from terrorist organisations like the Irish Republican Army and the Taliban."  
  
As Heero rattled off the names of two of the world's most hated terrorist groups ever, responsible for the slaughter of thousands and still held in infamy in AC198, a hush fell. After a suitably respectful pause, he continued.  
  
".and the Taliban, promising them powerful weapons in return. These reports promoted the NSA, FBI and CIA to begin a joint investigation into Rook's organisation.  
  
Though Cybertronics specialised in electronics Rook had hired a large amount of mechanical engineers, computer programmers and technicians leased from the Nova Robotics Corporation to work in his manufacturing facility in Northern Canada. Also he began buying fleets of varied motor vehicles and an entire division of fighters that were being scrapped by the airforce. This prompted the investigators to send an agent into this facility as a mole.  
  
In early 2001 the agent finally made contact with Washington with evidence convicting Rook of collaborating with the Taliban and also promised further information on a private project run by Cybertronics known as the Lazarus project. When this information never appeared the federal agents moved in to arrest Rook on suspicion of him murdering their mole. Rook was arrested on August 8th 2001 and transferred to the Pentagon for interrogation. All he said was that his army of 'Decepticons' would devastate the country for locking him up." Heero at this point smirked.  
  
"Rook paid for his treason on September 11th 2001."  
  
The room fell silent when they realised what he implied. Duo chuckled humourlessly.  
  
"He was destroyed by the very organisation he was dealing with. That's irony."  
  
Noin looked up.  
  
"This is interesting Heero, but why did you find it in the first place. There's no data here of a dangerous or secret level."  
  
"The satellite uplink was partly to boost my training. Dr. J set me to hacking the files that were encrypted or protected to the maximum degree. Things that were never, ever to be made known to the public." He looked at Duo, "NOT things like Roswell, which was news mongering by a few sensationalists papers. On the otherhand Maxwell, the Titanic was sunk as part of an insurance fraud."  
  
Before Duo could speak up he carried on.  
  
"This was one of the most encrypted files in the files of the former USA, and that's why I hacked it, and that's why the word 'Decepticons' meant something to me. However, the accompanying file on this Project Lazarus, eventually delivered by the mole, still alive, but in hiding, was locked out to even my hacking skills."  
  
Duo snorted, "that I can well believe." Heero glared him into silence.  
  
"Since then my skills have improved but I only broke into the file ten minutes ago. So whatever we're about to read is new to me too but I'll bet that it's the key to this mystery. It's obviously of a sensitive nature because after this Lazarus file was delivered the CIA either bribed Rook's workers to keep their silence, or decided to use more 'permanent' methods to prevent this information ever being divulged."  
  
An oppressive silence descended. Heero glanced round slowly.  
  
"Is everyone here willing to proceed?" There were silent nods all around the room. "Right. Let's read on."  
  
The pages were all flipped over. After a few silent minutes of reading everyone leant back into their seats, utter amazement etched into their faces. Even Heero, the perfect soldier was astounded.  
  
"Oh.My.God."  
  
To be continued...  
  
AUTHOR NOTE:  
  
Short I know, but the next few chapters should be uploaded tomorrow or this evening, and I promise they're better. And I know I said Duo would take charge but I made a mistake, and I promise it does happen in the next chapter.  
  
CHAPTER NOTES.  
  
Heero's always going to think he's been captured if he wakes up in an unfamiliar place isn't he?  
  
Trowa seems the kind of person to read something as heavy and cultural as 'War and Peace.'  
  
'The Art of War' is a Korean work but since it's from the east and the nature of its content deals with (I believe) the art and inherent honour of war it seems the kind of thing Wufei would read.  
  
MORE YAOI! Did I take this too far?  
  
AHA! Heero Yuy mellows somewhat.  
  
"The power of love, is a curious thing! Makes one man weep, makes another one sing..." Throwing this in was a bit campy I know, but it seemed to feel right, and I guess a few of you might find it funny.  
  
Starscream and Zechs interacting. That jet's one manipulative b*****d ain't he.  
  
"Conquest is made from the ashes of one's enemies" was Starscream's original signiture quote from the TF toy line.  
  
The TOP SECRET file's cover warnings were inspired by those within the front cover of Michael Crichton's excellent techno-thriller the 'Andromeda Strain.'  
  
In my new world history, the USA and other governments collapsed around AC45 (2155 AD), and the United Earth Sphere Alliance rose from the ashes to govern the earth and colonies (cough) justly and (cough, cough) fairly.  
  
Endless Waltz suggests that Brussels is the world's new capital city, and given that the Romefeller foundation was European, it seems to work.  
  
One of my readers, Arthur Edwards, has been very helpful to me as a kind of beta-reader for this chapter, and informed me that government computer networks that contain sensitive data have no physical connection to communication's systems like the internet, thus Heero could not have hacked former CIA files. Hence, Heero's raid on Brussels at age ten was born, and it sounds very convincing to me. Thanks.  
  
Who hasn't heard about the rumoured aliens at Roswell, New Mexico and Area Fifty-something (can't remember quite which number it is.)?  
  
Nova Robotics is the fictional computer that built the lovable robot Johnny 5 from the 'Short Circuit' movies.  
  
Recently I read an excellent book called 'Titanic; The Ship that Never Sank?' by an author called Robin Gardiner which suggests the great liner might have been swapped with it's near identical older sister the Olympic some months prior to the ill-fated voyage, due to several damages the Olympic had suffered in it's early life, including a collision with a warship called the HMS Hawke which made her uneconomical to run and unable to make a profit. Olympic, disguised as Titanic, would fake an impact with an iceberg, unload her passengers into rescue ships and then be scuttled, allowing the White Star Line to clear up on the insurance. However, due to several mishaps, Olympic suffered fatal damage in the 'fake' collision and the rest is history. The evidence given to support Gardiner's theory is very convincing and there is a good chance that future investigations of the great ship's wreck will prove him right.  
  
Adam Rook is a character owned by Dreamwave Comics and the general idea of the Lazarus project is theirs too.  
  
TF fans will recognise the name GB Blackrock as an industrialist from the original comics who offered a sizeable degree of help to the Autobots.  
  
The new timeline is as thus: In 1983 Rook Industries begin mining Mt. St. Hillary and discover the Transformers, still with their Cybertronian modes. He secretly removes them from the mountain, which then goes Krakatoa, wiping out the mine but NOT the Ark. With his mining firm in shambles Rook decides to play the only asset he has; the TFs. He raises funds by liquidating his firm and getting backing from terrorists. Using this money he sets up Cybertronics (original name huh?) and exploits the TF's technology to produce advanced microchips and electronics. With the thus amassed funds he purchases vehicles and aircraft and builds new modes for them using technicians in his plant in Canada. Shortly before his arrest, he transfers the TFs back to the Ark in preparation for the final sale of the TFs to his final bidder, the Taliban. After he is arrested, the Sept. 11th attack on the Pentagon wipes him out. In the aftermath, the case is given up on, but when the Lazarus file is finally delivered, the government hushes it up because of the amazing content. The transformers, are never found.  
  
I hope no-one objects to my use of the September 11th attacks as a plot device, and I express my sympathy to anyone reading this who was affected in these evil attacks on a good nation.  
  
You know what they've found out. Click onwards to confirm it. I promise that it's one of my better chapters.  
  
See Ya!  
  
And pleasepleasepleaseplease! review soon! I thrive on reviews. 


	7. Through Fire and Ice

DISCLAIMER:  
  
I am blatantly stealing characters, dialogue and situations from books, TV shows and movies, and I don't care, and neither should their posh lawyers, because I'm not doing this for profit, just for fun. Pleasepleaseplease don't sue. I have nothing to pay you with other than the £14.5 in my pocket at this point.  
  
AUTHORS NOTE: Enjoy, my loyal fans.  
  
CHAPTER SIX. THROUGH FIRE AND ICE.  
  
He could sense his prey, feel it hiding beneath the thick ice. Soon it would be time, to hunt, to kill. Soon. Very soon.  
  
*  
  
"Alien robots from outer space!"  
  
Duo was ranting like a maniac, but a strange fire burned in his eyes. The same light shone in the others too.  
  
"Beyond robots Duo, beyond Mobile Suits, beyond the Gundams, beyond our wildest imaginations."  
  
Quatre was whispering to himself.  
  
"An entire artificial civilisation, with cultures, religious beliefs, and not only artificial intelligence, but emotion. The ability to feel, and sense, and love."  
  
"And now they're here."  
  
"They've been here for over 4 Million years. That's when they left their home planet, this...Cybertron."  
  
"And know we've woken one up. And we may have restarted a war that has raged for millennia."  
  
"We never seem to get a break! First we're branded as terrorists, harassed by that pink stalker of yours Heero, we fight against rebellion after rebellion and are nearly outwitted by a seven year old, and now, when we finally have peace, we're thrown into a war between two robotic armies that have power like we've never believed possible and are likely to be hostile to all of humanity."  
  
"Only one of those armies you mean."  
  
"What!" Duo rounded on the calm and cool Trowa. Noin stepped in.  
  
"How well did you read that file Duo? From what Rook gleaned from their memories, only one of these armies had hostile intent. These, Decepticons believe in plundering other worlds in order to fuel their own war effort."  
  
"The other army, the Autobots seem to be protectors, fighting for those oppressed by the Decepticons."  
  
"Well, whatever faction, we've found our errant 'Grumman.'" Howard held up a piece of paper, a photo of the machine Zechs had taken off in clipped to the front.  
  
"This Rook did full profiles done for each machine, using data pulled from their data banks. Here this one;  
  
TRANSFORMER UNIT CON002  
  
IDENTIFICATION: STARSCREAM  
  
FUNCTION: SUB-COMMANDER  
  
TRANSFORM: AIRCRAFT (RED/SILVER F-15 FIGHTER)  
  
PROFILE:  
  
Loathed and despised by many of the Decepticon military, this former scientist turned warrior still commands a great deal of respect from many of his higher comrades. He possesses a unique split personality, born out of a harrowing personal experience, which also severed a particularly close friendship with unit CON001 with whom he now maintains a bitter rivalry.  
  
A skilled ariel combatant, Starscream is extremely vain and arrogant, and like his leader will stop at no means to accomplish his ends."  
  
Everyone nodded slightly.  
  
"Odd," Trowa was rubbing his chin, "in a few regards, that profile would suit Zechs."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Former civilian turned soldier. Skilled warrior. Fiercely driven to succeed. Loathed and simultaneously respected. And, he once had a close friendship with his leader, which went sour."  
  
Duo nodded.  
  
"Zechs has mellowed a bit over the years, but that's a dead ringer for when he led the White Fang and tried to destroy Earth. He was Treize's enemy then, but they'd been close friends..." He trailed off.  
  
Quatre looked up.  
  
"And he was mentally split at that time, if mildly. There was Zechs Marquise, warrior, fiercely disciplined to a code of honour, and Miliardo Peacecraft, who was willing to go to any ends to achieve what he called peace, and threw aside all traces of his humanity in order to do it..."  
  
A heavy silence fell. It lingered, before Wufei, who it seemed had been ignoring the previous discussion while rifling through his file, spoke up.  
  
"That's not the only uncanny thing."  
  
He held up a page.  
  
"This 'Decepticon' leader...Megatron, also rings a few bells."  
  
Everyone read his or her own files in silence.  
  
TRANSFORMER UNIT CON001  
  
IDENTIFICATION: MEGATRON  
  
FUNCTION: COMMANDER  
  
TRANSFORM: HANDGUN (WALTHER P-38 SPECIAL)  
  
PROFILE:  
  
A powerful and charismatic leader, Megatron is very strong in his beliefs, that his army (the decepticons) are destined to be the supreme rulers of Cybertron and that under a peace maintained by force the populace will benefit from his rule in which he will make use of their wasted potential. Beneath his hard exterior he also has a great deal of pride and occasionally affection for his forces although this is masked by a brutal image he maintains in order to maintain their respect. This has backfired in earning their fear as well as respect. Despite these qualities, he is often a brutal and ruthless warmonger, who delights in battle, in which he is merciless. His arch nemesis is unit BOT001 who he both loathes and respects.  
  
Wufei looked up, "Sound like anyone we knew?"  
  
*  
  
'It's time.'  
  
*  
  
Noin looked up, her face showing a mix of dismay and surprise.  
  
"Treize Kushrenada."  
  
"You're right Wufei," Quatre rubbed his face, "it is somewhat unnerv..."  
  
BOOM!  
  
Genesis rocked abruptly, and a number of displays in the control room began to flash alarmingly. The group of preventers clung to a number of pieces of machinery, Duo hanging from the handles of the periscope.  
  
"Shit! We've been hit!" Howard scrambled to the console. "And we're taking water in the missile bay!"  
  
"WHAT!" Duo amazed everyone, including Howard by scrambling to the console, "can the pumps keep up? How fast is the rate of water intake? Should we trim out the bow?"  
  
Howard spun. "You know subs?"  
  
"My dad drove a nuke like this one."  
  
"Right! You're in charge. With the most of the crew cut off from us by the flooding I'll have to take control in the engineering spaces. You lot have combat experience so you can run her from here."  
  
"Combat experience. Why would we need that?"  
  
Duo spun on the questioning Wufei.  
  
"Damage this severe can only have come from a missile!"  
  
*  
  
It was the Genesis' antiquated design that saved her from the missile that hid her amidships. The explosion had happened on the outer hull, a skin of light steel rather than the titanium used on modern submarines. Inside it was a water-filled ballast tank, in actuality a maze of separate compartments seven feet across. Located inside the tank were the flasks which stored her supply of high-pressure air, needed to blow her tanks when underwater. Then came the Genesis' battery banks and inner pressure hull, the last line of defense for the crew, an inch-thick layer of steel.  
  
The missile had impacted in the centre of a hull plate on the outer hull, several feet from any weld joints. The force had torn a hole twelve feet across, shredded several ballast tank comparments and ruptured a half-dozen air flasks, which absorbed most of the blast and the concussion wave of water. The final damage was done to a bank of the massive nickel-cadium battery cells which layered the inner hull. The Soviet engineers who built her had placed these here knowing that such a placemnt would make them difficult to maintain and recharge, and would likely contaminate them with seawater, but had ignored these factors in their decision to use the batteries as further armour for the inner pressure hull.  
  
Had it not been for these batteries, the force of the explosion would have ruptured her inner hull and the seawater pressure would have crushed her like an egg. The only damage was a crack in the inner hull, which was spraying water into the pressure hull and trapping the off-duty cew in the bow, but she was otherwise secure and in no danger of sinking. It could have been much, much worse.  
  
Duo made a mental note that if they survived, he would visit each of those designer's graves personally and thank them, but first there was action to be taken.  
  
"Heero, you trained on the cancer undersea suits, you take sonar. Wufei, get on the navigation. DON'T ARGUE! Quatre, get in the pilot's seat. Look it's NOT HARD! Just like a plane-you pull back to go up, push forward to go down. Left and right to go left and right." He paused to take a breath. Everyone had scrambled to their stations with barely a word. He leaned on the scope.  
  
The weight of the water in the missile room was beginning to drag the sub down at the nose. Even with Quatre pulling back on the hydroplanes the depth gauge was spinning alarmingly towards the sub's crush depth.  
  
"Trowa, there's a group of valves on your left. The right ones are the bow trim tanks, the middle ones control the main ballast tanks and the rest are for the stern. Spin the bow valves counter clockwise. We need to lighten the bow to compensate. Let some water into the stern as well but not too much."  
  
Trowa spun the valves. With an alarming noise like a million toilets flushing water left the bow and entered the stern tanks. Gradually, the room levelled up, just above the crush depth of 400M.  
  
"Quatre, take her up!"  
  
Heero had the sonar headset on, working the controls gradually.  
  
"I've got something. Thruster engines, Super Verniers most likely. It sounds like that robot, Starscream?"  
  
A crackling voice came in over the radio. It was the same high-pitched scream Heero had heard before.  
  
"Congratulations 'Gundam pilots'. It seems your pathetic vessel is stronger than it seems. Nevertheless, you shall not escape the wrath of Starscream the Magnificent! AHAHAHAHA!"  
  
As the manic laughter stopped echoing through the sub, Noin put her head to the bulkhead of the reactor chamber, wiping away tears.  
  
"Zechs, what's happening? This isn't you."  
  
Howard and Latta looked on with sympathy, but could not afford to turn from the pump controls. Back in the control room, Duo laughed to himself.  
  
"Man, this guy has a God complex. But he's about to go up against another god." his tone turned hard, "Me. The God of Death!"  
  
Even the stoic Heero and Trowa looked on apprehensively as Duo spun the periscope, looking for their aggressor, while carrying on a conversation with Howard over the intercom.  
  
"This is a ballistic Missile sub and you're telling me you have no weapons on board! Not even countermeasures like chaff or sonar decoys."  
  
Howard gulped slightly. "There is something we can use..."  
  
Duo listened for a second. "You're kidding!"  
  
Heero suddenly broke the tense silence.  
  
"Two targets, coming in at over 80 knots. Both have a strong sonar lock on us!"  
  
"How long till they hit!?"  
  
"Thirty seconds."  
  
"Heero, ghost em. Quatre, when I say so, push her down, hard."  
  
"We're in a submarine with a hole in it and you want to go DOWN!?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Heero had his finger on the trigger of the sonar pulse generator, firing concentrated sound energy at the missiles at precisely timed intervals. It was a tricky job for even an operator with many hours on the equipment but Heero...  
  
"YES!"  
  
Staring through the periscope Duo saw one of the two missiles fly off at a tangent, confused by Heero's sonar pulses. But the second kept on coming.  
  
Duo leapt to the panel, which formerly fired the missiles and put his finger on a switch.  
  
"Heero, how long till impact?"  
  
"Twenty seconds, eighteen, sixteen, fourteen..."  
  
"Now Quatre!"  
  
Quatre literally stood on his control as he rammed it down. Simultaneously Duo flipped the switch. The sub rumbled and jolted alarmingly. Heero frowned.  
  
"I have another contact, large, slow moving. The missile's locked onto it. Impact in three, two, one." He threw the sonar headset from his ears and covered them.  
  
KAAABOOOOOOOM!  
  
As the missile struck the mystery target a massive concussion wave of compressed water impacted on the descending submarine and forced it down. Primary power failed and the red emergency lights glowed dully. Pipes split and water gushed from the fractures. Those nearest scrambled to close the valves. Gradually, the Genesis pulled up from her headlong plunged and soared up. Duo wiped the sweat from his face as the others looked at him in what bordered on awe. In his black overalls and cap, he looked the part of a submarine captain. Wufei spoke up.  
  
"What in the name of God did that missile hit Maxwell?"  
  
Duo breathed out slowly, a look of deep regret on his face.  
  
"Deathscythe," he cast his eyes heavenwards, "sorry old buddy."  
  
"You sacrificed your Gundam to save our lives?" The near love affair Duo had for his mecha was well known. Such a sacrifice commanded respect, even for the braided baka.  
  
"Howard has all five Gundams fastened to the top deck. I freed Deathscythe and the missile homed in on the slower target. I might have saved our lives, but that guy up there still has a lot of missiles and I can't keep avoiding them till he runs out."  
  
Heero stood up.  
  
"Then I'll take him out."  
  
"What!"  
  
"You said that Wing Zero's fastened to the missile deck. Stop the sub and I'll swim to it and take him out."  
  
"Do you know what you're saying? It's several degrees below freezing out there. We have no artic diving equipment. You'd last less than ten minutes wearing a diving suit, let alone your spandex."  
  
"No diving gear. It'll take too long to get suited up. I'm going like this."  
  
"You idiot! Aren't you hearing me? You can hold your breath underwater for less than three minutes. It will take thirty seconds to get out of the sub, thirty seconds to get into wing zero. In between you'll have something like a minute and a half to swim over three hundred feet, underwater, and in sub zero temperatures. Even if you do you've got a 75% probability of getting hypothermia and frostbite. Not even you can do it!"  
  
"If I don't try this we're all dead."  
  
Duo stared at him, before relenting.  
  
"Right, but you've got to give me a few minutes to evade him. Wufei! How far are we from the coast."  
  
"Five miles."  
  
"Great. I can loose this guy under the icecap. When I've lost him, you can try. Good luck."  
  
Heero gave him a firm handshake before climbing up the ladder towards the sail escape hatch. Duo ran to the radio.  
  
"Howard! How much speed can you squeeze from this thing?"  
  
"25 knots if we push the engines."  
  
"Do that! And I want 200% power on the reactor."  
  
"Are you mad! You'll melt the core."  
  
"I want 35 knots at least!" Duo bellowed, before his tone softened. "She can take it. This girl's old, but she's got heart." He spun.  
  
"Wufei, call up the camera views!"  
  
Wufei flicked a switch on his terminal and a number of monitors relayed images from cameras on the hull. Duo could see the four remaining Gundams tied to the hull. Beyond the bow, was an awe-inspiring scene.  
  
The Genesis was entering the thickest area of the icecap, and here the ice bulged down below the water level like an upside-down mountain chain. Vast ice keels like mountains turned on their ends dominated the view, gleaming like blue fire. Duo smiled. Here, in the canyons and ridges, he could loose the missiles. But it would be hard.  
  
The sonar, which Heero had left on automatic, suddenly began to ping loudly. Trowa leapt to it.  
  
One torpedo, it's bigger than the missiles but slower.  
  
Duo cursed. Howard had to fit the damn robot with torpedoes didn't he? They were slower than the missiles but better suited to underwater combat. This was going to be harder than he thought. He grabbed the radio.  
  
"Howard, make that 250% on the reactor."  
  
Beneath their feet the Genesis began to thrum alarmingly as the engines tried to leap from their mountings. Her two massive bronze propellers thrashed the water relentlessly, pushing the massive sub at near 40 knots, twice the speed that she had been built for. The reactor began to steam alarmingly but the advanced refrigeration units Howard had built kept it below dangerous levels.  
  
Duo stared at the monitors. They needed a place to hide, but where?  
  
"There!" He jabbed his finger at a shape that loomed out of the darkness. A massive ice keel that bulged down far enough for the base to be out of sight. Duo wasn't sure but he estimated it was at least 200ft deep, but it was near a mile away.  
  
"Trowa! How long till impact!"  
  
"Two minutes."  
  
It would be close. 40 knots translated to just over 30 mph. They would need that two minutes to get to the massive ice keel. And then?  
  
"Come on girl, move." He stared intensely at the relay which displayed the speed of the submariner, as if glaring at it would entice more speed out of the sub. Incredibly, the red digits continued to increase slowly. 42, 45, 47, 49. The readout shifted up another value, flickered, and held. 50 knots. Amazing. Genesis, a 300 year old sub, was now the fastest underwater vessel in the world. Duo breathed out. The old girl had brought him some time.  
  
The seconds passed slowly. Duo was now staring through the periscope, alternating between checking their progress to the keel, and the distance to the torpedo, which was now just visible.  
  
"Trowa, set the sonar to active. Ping that sonuvab***h hard!"  
  
"You want me to confuse it like Heero did?"  
  
"No, it's too risky. Instead, I want the torpedo to have as strong a lock on us as possible!"  
  
Trowa stared at him for a few seconds but complied.  
  
"Quatre, when I say, bring her hard right. Howard, at the same time, go to full speed astern on the starboard shaft. I'm leaving the radio open so you'll be able to hear us up here."  
  
"Roger!"  
  
Trowa spoke up.  
  
"Thirty seconds to impact!"  
  
The Genesis' bow nosed past the keel, which began to pass on the right. Duo was mumbling calculations to himself.  
  
"Fifteen seconds to impact."  
  
The stern passed the keel. The torpedo's propeller could now be heard over the roar of the turbines.  
  
"QUATRE! HOWARD! NOW!"  
  
Quatre twisted his wheel to the stops. The sound of the engines dimmed somewhat, then came back with a vengeance. As the starboard propeller began to spin in reverse, the sound of cavitation echoed through the subs hull, which rolled to the right alarmingly, all the while shuddering and gyrating drastically.  
  
Like 'Akula', her Russian namesake, the Genesis gracefully banked behind the massive keel.  
  
"Five seconds."  
  
The torpedo was blind, it could not see the ice keel, only hear the sub. As it's target banked, it adjusted its course to strike it amidships...  
  
...and drove right into the heart of the keel!  
  
Like the impact on the Deathscythe, the sub was abruptly buffeted by the concussion wave. As the centre portion of the keel exploded, the thousand- foot lower half sank gently into the depths, breaking up as it fell, creating a massive amount of sound.  
  
*  
  
Starscream screamed in rage as he hovered over the ice field.  
  
"Argh! Once again they survived."  
  
He calmed.  
  
"A clever plan. I can't use the torpedoes or missiles as this noise will confuse them. So now, we wait."  
  
*  
  
"Howard, all stop!"  
  
As the sounds of the engines dimmed, Duo yelled up the ladder.  
  
"Heero, it's up to you now."  
  
Heero had already had the door to the escape hatch open, waiting for Duo's call. Quickly he scrambled in, sealing it shut behind him. He threw the required valves, and gasped in shock as a spray of icy cold water drenched him. He took a last, deep gulp of air.  
  
Duo turned to the outer hull camera. As the outer hatch opened Heero emerged, his eyes fixed on the distant wing zero. If the cold was bothering him, he was not showing any signs of him. Quickly, he began swimming with powerful breaststrokes towards the Gundam.  
  
"God's speed Heero Yuy."  
  
*  
  
Heero was in agony. The cold was stinging him like thousands of them stabbing him all over his thinly clad bodies. Chunks of ice from the keel often blocked his path and he had to swim round, wasting time.  
  
*  
  
Duo checked his watch. Two minutes gone.  
  
*  
  
Heero's vision was beginning to grow dim. He was touching the upright mobile suits, leg, pulling himself up the superstructure arm over arm. But he was getting weak. His progress was becoming slower. As he reached the cockpit hatch, his strength failed him, and he hovered on the cusp of total blackout.  
  
*  
  
"Thirty seconds, he's out of time."  
  
*  
  
Heero knew he was dying. As he drifted, a sudden image swum in his eyes. A radiant angel.  
  
'Relena.'  
  
No! He couldn't let her and his friends down. Not after the peace they had suffered to earn had finally come about.  
  
'I WILL SURVIVE!'  
  
With a sudden burst of strength that came from somewhere unknown, he opened the hatch and scrambled into the air lock. His lungs screamed for air, and his every fibre of being was on fire, but he was staying alive by sheer willpower. But even that would not be enough to keep him going for much longer.  
  
*  
  
Duo turned off the monitor and rubbed his face, blinking back tears. Everyone was dumbfounded. Heero, the perfect soldier who had overcome all odds, had finally failed while trying to save their lives, and he had paid for that failure with his life.  
  
Quatre was unashamedly crying, "He's gone. I can't believe it. He's gone!"  
  
"Don't write me off yet!"  
  
Duo spun with relief etched on his features. The monitor blinked on and an image appeared of a sodden, shivering Heero sitting in the cockpit. Duo slapped the monitor as if the pain would somehow be conveyed to Heero.  
  
"You bastard, you damn' lucky bastard! Don't you every do that again, you hear me." But he was laughing with joy, and the others were all showing their relief in someway, including Howard and his team who had joined them.  
  
"Right!" Duo was back into his commander persona. "Trowa, can you pinpoint Zech's location. Heero's got a better chance of succeeding if we can get the, er...drop, on him. Howard, get back to engineering quick."  
  
With the same skill as Heero, Trowa gradually worked the controls, gradually filtering out the sounds of ice, until he could hear something, it was faint, but it was there.  
  
"He's right above us!"  
  
"What!"  
  
"Listen..."  
  
Trowa flicked a few switches and a faint conversation came in over the speakers.  
  
*  
  
"We can destroy them now! They are weak, they cannot defend themselves!"  
  
"No, I can't condone it!"  
  
"Condone it? They are our ENEMIES! They deserve to die!"  
  
"I can't destroy an enemy who is weaker than myself, it is a coward's fight."  
  
"This is WAR! Not a duel."  
  
"I know war, and you are NOT a warrior!"  
  
"Coward!"  
  
*  
  
Noin sighed with relief, "he's hanging on in there."  
  
"Trowa, you say he's directly above us? How thick is the ice."  
  
"About two feet."  
  
"Perfect. Heero, brace yourself, this is going to be rough."  
  
"Roger that."  
  
"Oh, and Heero. Zech's is still hanging on in there, no fatal shots."  
  
*  
  
Wing Zero crouched down on the foredeck, bracing itself for the impact. Inside, Heero braced himself, before suddenly noticing a pair of silver objects outside, tied down to the deck of the sub. Smirking, he picked one up, before clipping it to Wing Zero's hip.  
  
'Howard or Wufei must have recovered this.'  
  
He flicked on his comlink.  
  
"Ready Duo."  
  
*  
  
"Full speed ahead, emergency blow on all tanks! Full up on the hydroplanes."  
  
Everyone leapt into action. Quatre pulled back on his stick, Trowa, Wufei and Noin spun the tank valves and Howard and Latta gunned the engines to the maximum.  
  
With a roar of released energy, Genesis pulled up and shot towards the surface. The control room tilted at a forty-five angle and everyone slipped and rolled into a pile against the rear bulkhead, Duo still clutching the radio mike in his hands.  
  
This time, Genesis not only broke the ice, it obliterated it. Breaking through, she soared more than two-thirds her length out of the water, black paint gleaming in the pale light. Starscream spun.  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
*  
  
"Now Heero!"  
  
*  
  
As the mighty submarine reached the peak of her soar, the Wing Zero, wings battered from the impact with the ice, thundered into the sky. Beneath, Genesis collapsed onto the ice, which briefly supported her before it crumbled beneath the weight of 48,000 tons of metal. Slowly, she slipped beneath the surface, retreating to the depths from whence she came.  
  
"Give it up Starscream."  
  
"Never. I was born to fight! I know no other way!"  
  
Starscream spun on his axis.  
  
"AND I'LL DESTROY YOU ALL!"  
  
Heero realised what he was going to do.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
The volley of missiles struck the hole left by Genesis and disappeared. Then, with a mighty roar, the patch of water erupted in a boiling, seething mass.  
  
Above the steaming ocean, Starscream cackled in victory.  
  
"I WIN! I WIN! AHAHAHAHAHA...UGH!"  
  
He reeled back, clutching his head.  
  
"YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER!"  
  
Screaming, Starscream began to tumble. Zech's voice called out one more time.  
  
"Heero, Do it. Take us now!"  
  
Wing Zero brought its mighty buster rifle to bear. Instead of delivering the blinding blast that would grant Zech's oblivion, he tossed it aside, and produced a small, silver weapon. Starscream's optics went wide.  
  
"My Null Ray! You have it!" He overcame Zech's fight, and rocketed towards Heero.  
  
"GIVE IT TO ME!"  
  
"You want it. Have it."  
  
Heero calmly pulled the trigger on the weapon. It struck the enraged robot dead in the head, and, optics wide, his systems failed.  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
As his thrusters failed, Starscream hovered in the air for a brief second, before dropping like a stone into the broiling sea. It but a few seconds, he was gone, and Zechs was gone with him.  
  
Heero deflated in his seat, and for the first in a long time, felt a deep rush of emotion with him. Grief.  
  
"Dead. They're all...dead?"  
  
He sank back into his seat.  
  
"Once again, I'm alone."  
  
Tears began to prick the corners of his eyes, "my friends."  
  
He gave up any semblance of non-caring and howled in misery.  
  
"I FAILED THEM! WHAT THE..!"  
  
A plume of steam that suddenly rose from the ocean shook him from his catatonic state. "It can be..."  
  
Triumphant, Genesis burst to the surface. Her sleek surface was riddled with pockmarks from missile impacts and a deep slash was torn in her port ballast tank, but she still floated. Sprawled unconscious on the foredeck beside the Gundams, was Starscream. The conning tower hatch popped open, and a figure climbed out, regardless of the biting chill.  
  
"He did it. Duo did it!" Heero continued to cry, but with happiness as the familiar wisecracking voice crackled over his speakers.  
  
"Well, well, well. The perfect soldier does have human feelings after all. Glad to see you can recognise pure talent when you see it. Hey, Wufei!"  
  
"Cut the wisecrack's Maxwell. Yuy! Get Zechs out of that metal beast before it wakes up!"  
  
"Roger that Chang!" Heero slipped back into his usual stoic persona.  
  
Wing Zero landed gently on the missile deck. Heero quickly scrambled to the red mech despite the cold that was penetrating his soaked body and pulled the unconscious Zechs from the seat.  
  
Suddenly, Starscream began to stir.  
  
"I...feel...wrong. Something's...changed."  
  
Before the psychotic robot could fully stand up, Heero quickly activated the bypass Howard had mentioned on the Decepticon's brain.  
  
With a final gasp, Starscream settled back on the deck.  
  
Heero lay in the unfamiliar cockpit for a long time, before a face appeared over the rim. Duo.  
  
"Well buddy. It's over."  
  
"No," Heero gasped. "it's only just begun." And with that, he succumbed to the fatigue.  
  
AUTHOR NOTES  
  
Do ya' like it? Because I do.  
  
CHAPTER NOTES:  
  
Personally, I love these little trains of thought for Starscream.  
  
These profiles were a bit hard to write. In them I am trying to express my own feelings for the two most popular Decepticons, who are both complex characters. My beliefs about them are a mix of facts from the comics and TV show, and a few fanfics and my own gut feelings. Sorry to those who don't like them. Anyone interested can rest assured that in the next two chapters I will delve a bit deeper into both of their psyches.  
  
I lifted the damage Genesis took and the reason she is not destroyed by the missile impact straight from the novel of Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy.  
  
From what I've seen in the GW TV series, missiles can be used both above and underwater, as fast and agile weapons. Torpedoes are slower, but bigger and more powerful and better suited to underwater warfare.  
  
Heero can work every mobile suit ever built and that involves the Cancer and Aquarius, which are essentially submarines and must be fitted with sonar. Since the equipment involved is very complex Heero is thus best suited to operate it on the Genesis.  
  
I've worked out a rather long backstory on why Duo's interested in subs and how his father captained one but Duo managed to be born and raised in space. If anyone's interested in this feel free to e-mail for the full story.  
  
This is pretty much how many people in a sub's control room to run it, because most controls are dedicated to working the weapons, and Genesis is, of course, unarmed. The US Navy has a nuclear research sub called the NR-1 which has a crew of less than twenty and is piloted by just two men, pilot (captain) and co-pilot.  
  
'Ghosting' a weapon fitted with sonar involves firing sonar pulses at it at the same second its pulse hit you. Its navigation receives back multiple or 'Ghost' targets and it often locks onto the wrong one. It's an incredibly skilled art, rather than science and of all the Gundam boys, I expect Heero is the only one capable.  
  
Some will argue that the missile could not have hit Deathscythe because Gundamium does not show up on Radar. This is because of its non-electro conductive properties, like the materials on stealth jets. However, Sonar is a difference system. The Gundanium would absorb the sonar pulses, and would thus appear as a massive blank patch in a sea of sound (ice cracking, colliding, the propellers of the Genesis) and the torpedo would identify such a blank spot as a target trying to hide. In a clam, warm sea, which would be very quiet in comparison, the missile might well miss it.  
  
'Akula' is the Soviet designation for Typhoon-class submarines. It means 'Shark'. Fitting, no?  
  
The use of Ice Keels (upside-down, underwater mountains of ice) as means of avoiding targets and fighting a submarine war, was inspired by the novel 'Raise the Red Dawn,' another good Cold War-novel by Bart Davis. I know, I know. Red Dawn, Red October. Those Soviets had such original and varied names for their subs don't they?  
  
Heero's feat is undoubtedly superhuman, especially in polar conditions, but he is just that.  
  
The fact that the Gundams can operate underwater suggests that they are fitted with air locks in case of an emergency while underwater or possibly in space.  
  
The description of Relena as a 'radiant vision' sickens even me, the guy who wrote this tripe, but that is how she might appear to Heero on the verge of death, and possibly such a thing would galvanise him to power on, to do the impossible.  
  
Once again, Zechs and Starscream are talking to each other. If you've seen 'The Lord of the Rings; The Two Towers' this might remind you of the Gollum/Smeagol conversations, especially with Zechs fighting Starscream's influence.  
  
A beautiful mental image; the mighty Genesis, flying into the sky, with Wing Zero leaping off her bow in mid air. The reason I go for big, dramatic actions like this is because I think like a director, everything I write or read, I envision on the silver screen. This would look good I think.  
  
Zechs briefly manages to seize control of Starscream's body in a moment of extreme passion. Does any hard-core TF fan know if this is possible in a binary bonding relationship.  
  
Shot in the head with his own weapon. How ironic.  
  
Trying to write Heero showing any kind of emotion is hard, but I think this moment of grief came across well. The perfect soldier is still there however, and Heero easily slips back into that cold, calm persona, but we now know he can feel deep emotion at times, like that time in Endless Waltz where we see him laughing happily, not maniacally, during his flashback..  
  
Starscream feels that something's changed within him. This is a by-product of installing the Zero System to him and will be explained in the next chapter.  
  
Speaking of that, I'd better call it quits now as it's half ten in the evening. Thankyou all my dedicated readers, and I hope you like this latest offering.  
  
TILL ALL ARE ONE! 


	8. Through the Looking Glass

CHAPTER 7.THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS  
  
DISCLAIMER:  
  
I own nothing, and once again I'm stealing from another fanfic, the story of starscream and Total Sensory Depreiviation is taken from the excellent story 'Captive Minds' on the website www.insecticons.com.  
  
Enjoy.  
  
Chapter 7.  
  
Zechs mumbled something as an image swam into focus in his vision. He reached up to stroke the sweet, angelic face before him.  
  
"So, we're all dead." He cocked an eyebrow, "I'm surprised they let me into the same place as you. I expected to be stoking the boilers of hell."  
  
"Some other day Zechs," Noin smirked. "We're not dead yet."  
  
Memories came flooding back into Zech's memory and he sat up with a start.  
  
"What!" But, Starscream and...the wing zero...I shot you." He paused, and felt the bandage wrapped around his head, "why do I have the mother and father of all headaches."  
  
"Heero ripped you out of Starscream. The headache's probably a side-effect of severing the mental link."  
  
"God, I'm beginning to remember. I destroyed two of the Gundams. Not even in the Epyon could I do so much damage," he looked up, "How many people did I kill?"  
  
Noin sat on the edge of his bed.  
  
"None thankfully. All the pilot's survived and your attack on the sub only caused some flooding. Heero's still been hospitalised though. I don't think he's resentful towards you."  
  
Zechs followed her gaze. Heero was sleeping in the next bunk, heavily wrapped up.  
  
"Sally's been treating him for hypothermia. He swam from the sub to Wing Zero."  
  
"He did that, in Arctic conditions!"  
  
"Yeah, but it drained him a lot. Sally wants him in bed until at least tomorrow morning and even then she doesn't want him straining himself for at least a week."  
  
"I'm sorry, not just to Heero, but for trying to kill all of you."  
  
"It doesn't matter. You were pretty screwed up."  
  
Sally walked up.  
  
"Sorry Luc. but this big boy needs rest and plenty of painkillers so I'm going to have to ask you to leave."  
  
"It's okay Sally. I'll go now."  
  
She leaned down and laid a gentle kiss on Zech's lips. The sheer sensation of her warm velvet lips caressing his was probably enough to cure him, but Zechs guessed Sally would contend that.  
  
"Get well soon."  
  
*  
  
As Noin left the ward Sally turned to Zechs.  
  
"You're one lucky guy. Not many girls would stay with a man after he tries to blow her up."  
  
Zechs raised an eyebrow. "I've heard you still have a relationship with Wufei, even though he calls you a 'weak onna' on a day to day basis."  
  
Sally rounded on him, arms akimbo.  
  
"I would like to remind you, Preventer Wind, that you are currently under my care, and I if were you I would be doing my best to not get under the doctor's bad side. Unfortunately for you," she brandished a large, nasty pointed object, "you've already crossed the line."  
  
Zechs gulped as she neared him. "Now look Sally, I'm sure I don't need an injection." He slid off his bed and began trying to evade her random stabs with the nasty implement.  
  
"Injection, who said anything about an injection. It's just a thermometer."  
  
"To take the temperature of what?"  
  
*  
  
Noin made her way forward to the missile bay. The rent in the hull caused by Starscream's second volley had reduced the Genesis to running on the surface. Thankfully, the sub was well equipped for ramming it's way through the surface ice and the hole, being above the waterline, was currently not a risk to the sub.  
  
Starscream was lying on his back in the main bay, his flex-metal face frozen in a look of confusion. If he had not tried to kill her Noin would have found the robot's position pitiful and slightly laughable. Currently, she just felt a lot of resent towards the mech.  
  
The four walking Gundam Pilots were all sitting on Starscream as Howard gave them the guided tour of his innards. All of them had to maintain their suits on a regular basis and knew enough about engineering to be amazed, judging by the expressions on their faces. Noin decided to join them.  
  
"Hey, hey. The Ice Maiden of Russia returns!" Noin grimaced.  
  
"I'd like to remind you Duo that the business with the bottle of vodka was Howard's idea."  
  
Howard coughed a brief "Ahem!" and turned to her.  
  
"Hi Luc. How's Zechs?"  
  
"He's fine, well he was when I left him alone with Sally..."  
  
"ARGGH! GOD THAT'S COLD!"  
  
A brief scream echoed through the sub, seeming to originate from the hospital wing. Noin sniggered.  
  
"Though I can't speak for him now."  
  
*  
  
"It's incredible."  
  
Chris Latta was hunched on the left shoulder of the Tallgeese, absently checking the machine for damage from the attack. A technician handing components to him cocked an eyebrow.  
  
"Pardon."  
  
Latta gestured at the young pilots, laughing.  
  
"After all is said and done, we humans are incredibly narrow minded. Look at them for example. They've fought wars, gone beyond what we think is possible, and still they can't accept it."  
  
"Accept what?"  
  
"That we're not alone in the universe. That there is intelligent life out there. We've all read the files on that machine and it's origins, yet we're not acknowledging it. Look at us mechanics. We're still referring to that robot as 'the Grumman, or that red suit'. And when it comes down to it, can you believe."  
  
The techs mouth flapped open for a second. Latta nodded.  
  
"See. You know it's true yet your mind wouldn't accept it even if ET appeared before your eyes and asked to borrow your mobile."  
  
Latta turned towards the small group and shook his head.  
  
"What we do realise, God protect us."  
  
"From what?"  
  
"Ourselves."  
  
*  
  
As the laughter died away, Howard turned to Noin, pinching his nose.  
  
"Is Zechs showing any side effects from his, erm. experience."  
  
"No. Sally couldn't find anything wrong with him."  
  
Howard rubbed his chin. "Odd. Because our other wards definitely gone through some changes." He gestured at Starscream. "I was giving the boy's a guided tour through him and found something odd."  
  
"Odd?"  
  
"Come see." He gave her a hand up onto the torso. Quatre, like the gentleman he was, shifted aside to make room for her on the cockpit rim. As she peered into the open cockpit, she frowned.  
  
Starscream's laser neurone, the last time she saw it, alternated in colour from red to purple on an infrequent basis. Having read the Rook physiological report on him, she and the engineers and pilots come to assume this reflected on his split personality. Now however, it glowed a steady purple, showing no signs of instability or fluctuation.  
  
"What in the...What does this mean Howard?"  
  
"No idea."  
  
"I would like to put forward a scholarly opinion."  
  
All looked in surprise at Wufei, who was lying in a recess built into Starscream's knee assembly, arms folded, eyes closed in deep concentration.  
  
"Before I became the pilot of my Nataku I spent several years studying the human mind. It was my wish to better understand how the brain works and help those who suffered from mental problems. Having read the report and examined the interface that linked the robot's personality core, Zech's brain and the Zero System in a three-way loop, I have come to a conclusion." All of this was delivered in an aloof tone, as if implying to question his opinions was to commit a heinous crime. Yet he spoke with an air of confidence and knowledge.  
  
"Very well, explain."  
  
"A proportion of Zech's thought processes have been transferred to the robot."  
  
"Pardon?" Duo looked confused.  
  
"Very well Maxwell. I will keep it as simple as possible so you can understand." Wufei leaned back on the torso and stared at the ceiling.  
  
"When you buy a new piece of hardware for a computer, like a scanner, you can't just plug it in and expect it to work. You must first install the software package. This tells the computer what the new equipment is, how it works, how the computer is meant to use it. Understand?"  
  
"Yes. But how does that tie in to this."  
  
"Wait Maxwell, be patient, for once. When you first use a suit installed with the zero system you get a surge of disorientation. You never feel this when you use the same suit again. This is because the system probes a new pilot's mind. It's like installing the pilot to the machine, because the system records a complete profile of the pilot's brain on hard disk.  
  
Now then, what happens if you remove your computer's new scanner, without first uninstalling it?"  
  
"Nothing, unless you select the scanner option, in which case the computer becomes confused, because it knows the scanners meant to be there, but can't sense it."  
  
"Precisely, and this is what happens when you remove a person from the zero system without turning it off beforehand. The onboard computer gets confused. And in this case, in the computer's confusion, it has grafted Zech's brain patterns to this machine's laser neurone control programming."  
  
Noin nodded her head slowly.  
  
"So what you're saying is that this Starscream will now think like Zechs."  
  
"Not quite. Most likely only some of Zechs' most prominent characteristics would have been grafted onto the neurone. Also, the machine will still possess all it's memories and none of Zechs'. What is obvious is that it has overwritten some of the original neurone patterns and cured the split personality. I would be very curious to see how Starscream's new brain patterns affect his personality."  
  
"As would I."  
  
Noin turned to Howard.  
  
"Howard, can you put Starscream's brain back on line but only give him command of his head. You know, eyes, ears, vocaliser."  
  
"Sure. His brain's online now, just bypassed from the rest of his body. I'd be very interested to know what he's thinking right now."  
  
"You interested Wufei?"  
  
Wufei gave her a stern glare.  
  
"If I am interested woman, it's no concern of yours."  
  
Noin counted slowly to ten, before turning to Howard.  
  
"Howard, since Wufei is such an expert on physcology, why don't we leave him to interview Starscream, on. his. own."  
  
Howard sniggered, Trowa smirked, Wufei looked dumbfounded, and Duo and Quatre high-fived each other.  
  
"One for one Wufei."  
  
With that, the four pilots left the bay to check on the other Gundams, leaving a stunned Wufei and a laughing Howard, who quickly jury-rigged some wires in the cockpit before high-tailing it after the others. Beneath Wufei, the massive robot shuddered slightly.  
  
"UGH!" Starscream's head rolled around slightly, optics wide, mouth gasping like a person who had just woken from a nightmare.  
  
'Amazing how human this machine is,' Wufei thought, 'but it is still a machine.' He squatted on the chest of the robot, and waited.  
  
Starscream looked around a few times, eyes filled with fear, his mouth opened slightly and he whispered.  
  
"I know you're there, where are you?"  
  
Wufei briefly considered that the robot knew he was there, but dismissed it when the quiet machine suddenly erupted.  
  
"WHERE ARE YOU! You've tormented me every day of my life for years and now you leave me. TALK TO ME!"  
  
Wufei watched with awe at the sudden display of emotion from what he had considered till now merely a highly advanced mobile suit, unknowingly proving Latta right. He slowly stood up from his crouched position and moved towards the face, hands raised to signify he meant no harm. It was faintly ridiculous.  
  
"I don't know you you're calling to, but the only one here is me."  
  
Starscream's eyes searched the room for a second before he saw the small figure standing by his chin.  
  
"You're human."  
  
Wufei's nose wrinkled. "How did you know that?"  
  
The robot's voice, instead of the harsh screech he had heard before was now a pained whisper.  
  
"I don't know......What has happened to me? Why am I paralysed?"  
  
"You're not as such, your body has merely been bypassed from your brain. We didn't exactly want to set you free after you attacked us before."  
  
Like Wufei, Starscream wrinkled his nose, and responded in a slightly condescending tone.  
  
"Nonsense, I would never attack one as yourself, it would be wrong to attack someone so weak compared to myself."  
  
Wufei bristled slightly at being called weak, regardless of the context, "check your memory."  
  
Confused, Starscream complied, and a troubled look passed over his face.  
  
"I did. But, why...Why did I enjoy doing something so, so...dishonourable."  
  
Wufei chuckled slightly. At least he'd identified one trait of Zechs' that had been transferred to the Decepticon. His strong sense of warrior's honour, much like his own.  
  
"Well, it seems we have something in common."  
  
"Pardon."  
  
"Can I ask you something."  
  
"What? How can I trust you when I don't even know your designation?"  
  
"Designation? Oh, my name. Wufei Chang."  
  
"Decepticon Air Commander Seeker Unit 0384762 Designation Starscream, Wufei Chang."  
  
"Please, just Chang, or Wufei, not both."  
  
"Very well, Wufei. And your question?"  
  
Wufei leaned over, staring right into one of the ruby red eyes.  
  
"Why? Why did a promising intellectual choose to join an army of bloodthirsty killers? Why did a scholar kill so many helpless neutrals, come to relish in pure destruction, yet at the same time plot behind the back of the one who had given those things to him?"  
  
A pained expression crossed the jet's face. Wufei swore that within the glass and metal optic sensors, he saw sorrow.  
  
"Because I was alone. I lost the only one close to me, and joined the decepticons because they offered what I desired the most, comradeship, and a chance to fight against those who had betrayed me and the one I'd cared for. I wanted revenge, unlike those who fought for a cause they actually believed in. I was driven only to destroy those beurucrats and cowards who'd cost me my friend and mentor."  
  
Wufei was listening with only half his mind. In the other, he saw the same story he was being told, except in his mind's eye, he saw familiar faces and places. Himself, the L5 colonies, and Merian.  
  
"But you still haven't told me. How did the person who wanted revenge against those who'd betrayed him become a bloodthirsty killer and despised backstabber?"  
  
"Because I wanted revenge, but could not stand killing. So I began to lie to myself, to motivate myself to fight. And eventually, I came to believe those lies. That I wanted to destroy, that I pleasured in it. I became that which I despised, and even when those whom I sought revenge against were destroyed, I continued to fight. Because the fight had become a part of me. The rush. The fear. The joy and inner glory of a victory, and even when I began to question myself, I found I needed to fight to live. It had become the only way I knew how to life, and without it, I was nothing. As a warrior, I was respected, and had comrades, friends who I could call my new family, even if I had no cause. And then, it all went away..."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I was captured in a battle, and placed into suspended animation for many thousands of years till my 'comrades' rescued me. But it went awry. By some billion-to-one chance, my mind remained conscious when my body was deactivated. For those thousands of years, I was exposed to TSD..."  
  
"Total Sensory Deprivation."  
  
"Yes. No sight, no sound, only my thoughts. I didn't even have a perception of blindness or deafness as I had no eyes and ears. All I could do, was think, and think. And it was like that for twenty thousand years, a blink in the eye to my race, but to me, it was beyond eternity..."  
  
As Starscream's voice trailed off, Wufei shuddered, not even caring at the display of weakness. Starscream's voice curled into a slight smile.  
  
"You understand. You have no idea what that means to me. When I was revived, I went through the best counselling the army had to offer, but no- one could actually understand or contemplate what I had suffered. I became paranoid, and sunk into a personal low. During those years alone, I had contemplated my lot, and found my life had no real meaning. I needed something, a cause to believe in to give my life purpose, and I eventually found it. I found a person I could blame for my incarceration, unfortunately, this was the one person who had stood by me even when all others had rejected me."  
  
Wufei nodded slowly,  
  
"Megatron."  
  
"Yes. In my quest to find a purpose for myself in life, I split myself from my one true friend. I became devoted to trying to overthrow him, to best him somehow. And it provided me with drive, but it didn't end my pain. At this time, I became schizophrenic. On one side was Starscream, the young, successful, talented cadet, happy with his life, and with many friends, and who had caught the eye of the supreme commander of all decepticons, and on the other side was Screamer, the detested, paranoid backstabber. It was the clash of these two personalities that let to my somewhat unbalanced self;"  
  
He paused.  
  
"If there was one thing I could change in my life, something I could see had cost me dearly in retrospect, it would be that decision."  
  
"To turn on Megatron."  
  
"Yes. Even without cause in my life I could have survived with him as friend. He had supported me in my time of need, and I spat in his face. I wanted to apologise so many times, but each time I tried, my other self, Screamer, would appear and ruin those attempts."  
  
"So who are you now? Starscream, or Screamer."  
  
Starscream paused, thought, and slowly smiled.  
  
"I'm neither. The three parts of my personality have balanced."  
  
"Three?"  
  
"I'm sure you've figured it out. Starscream the cadet and Screamer the coward needed some other influence to bring them into balance." He breathed out slowly, "thank you Zechs."  
  
"You remember what happened?"  
  
"Very well. When Zechs left me I felt a rush of information and a strange sensation. Since then I've been trying to work it out. I have none of his memories, but I have his knowledge. I know that the year is AC198, I know that this is the Genesis. I even know that you, Chang Wufei, are the pilot of the Gundam Altron. Had I actually fought you, I'm sure it would have been a battle of the titans."  
  
Wufei chuckled slowly.  
  
"Not from my point of view. I saw you defeat four Gundam's in less than ten minutes."  
  
Starscream chuckled, then frowned slightly.  
  
"I know you're probably not in a position to trust me, but if possible could you restore me control of my body. Feeling completely numb is reminding me of something that now, I'd rather forget."  
  
Wufei scowled, more to himself than Starscream, but nodded. He quickly slipped into the cockpit and twisted the wires Howard had disconnected back together. He yelped slightly as Starscream stirred beneath him.  
  
"Sorry! You might want to get out before I sit up."  
  
With the athletic grace that all the Gundam pilots possessed, Wufei somersaulted from the cockpit and landed neatly on the deck.  
  
Slowly, but with a strange grace, Starscream sat up on the maintenance table. Wufei was impressed. Unlike the Gundams or any other mobile suits, he moved with a silence and ease that seemed to more suit a person than a machine. This impression was strengthened when Starscream rolled his head on his neck several times, as if working out a crick in it.  
  
Eventually, the seeker ended checking himself out and rotated slightly so that he looked as if he was sitting on a park bench, knees apart, head down, hands clasped together. The focus of his attention was the awed Chinese man, who was actually bracing himself to run. The next comment threw Wufei right off balance.  
  
"Why did you ask me my life story?"  
  
*  
  
Noin stuck her head through the bulkhead and almost hit the ship-wide alarm in her shock. She held herself back. Wufei was sitting on the edge of a maintenance table quietly talking to the robot facing him on the other...sitting up. She was tempted to carry on watching to keep an eye on the pair, but somehow registered that this was a deep personal moment for both of the pair. Silently, she slipped back through the door, shutting it behind her.  
  
*  
  
"I suppose it's because...when I read your profile,"  
  
"Profile?"  
  
"Long story. Anyway, when I read your profile, I saw myself in you. I too have killed many, but started life as an intellectual, a scholar, a reader of books. There was only one think I cared for in life other than knowledge, Merian, my best friend, and eventually, my wife. I learned a lot from her, including her strong views on justice, strength and weakness. She was filled with such determination and power that I took to calling her Nataku. It means..."  
  
"Female Warrior in Chinese, I know."  
  
"Yes. When we were married for only a few months, a corrupt government attacked my home colony. She fought to save us all, being the only one with the needed abilities, but failed. From that massacre, I was the only survivor, and I hated myself for it. I was not strong enough to protect her. Like you at the loss of your mentor..."  
  
"Skyfire..."  
  
"...I wanted nothing but revenge. So when I was approached by a man who'd built a weapon with which to attack that government with an offer for me to pilot it, I snapped it up. I became the Lone Dragon, pushing myself further and further with my training, and eventually, I piloted that weapon in battle. But what I found was that, by devoting myself solely to revenge, and preparing for that revenge, I had nothing else to do with my life after. I tried to return to books, but they could not satisfy me anymore. I nearly helped destroy the whole world and then, I found something that I felt could satisfy my needs. I joined a group that helped maintain peace, but with the use of weapons. On top of that, I now have the love of a good woman, even if I don't always seem to reciprocate the feeling. With these things, I thought I'd finally be able to make peace with myself, but I'm still haunted by the deeds I've committed, and I question myself. I killed hundreds of men and women in Merian's name, but, does she approve. Have I disgraced her memory by what I've done..."  
  
He trailed off, tears staining his face. Starscream reached out, and gently, with the tip of his index finger, lifted Wufei's face to meet his.  
  
"Even if you did commit hideous deeds in her name, you did them out of commitment to her. The religions of my race dictate that the dead have a clearer perception of life than the living, and I'm sure she has forgiven you for anything you have done. Live for the here and now Wufei, rather than living in the past. Now that I have the chance, I too, must do the same thing..."  
  
Starscream lay back on his 'bunk' and stared at the roof.  
  
"We all need time to contemplate what we've done, but regardless of what we think, we can't change what has happened, and we can only work towards a better future for both ourselves and those around us."  
  
Wufei thought hard and did find that yes, Starscream's words did touch some nerve in him. He felt, lighter, as if the burden of many deaths had been lifted from his shoulders.  
  
"Thank you Starscream."  
  
As the two rested there in silence, quietly contemplating, a strange thought struck Wufei;  
  
'I entered into this conversation thinking I would be talking to a simple machine, but there's more to these Transformers than meets the eye. They are perhaps a blessing to mankind, because in their struggle...  
  
we see ourselves, and can therefore see ourselves for what we are.'  
  
To be continued...  
  
AUTHOR NOTE:  
  
Well, with that hefty dose of philosophy and character heaped on you, click onto the next chapter, Hearts of Darkness. I promise that though it's short, it's well worth it, as the big, big surprise I've been promising for ages, is finally here. 


	9. Hearts of Darkness

CHAPTER EIGHT. HEARTS OF DARKNESS  
  
AUTHOR NOTE & DISCLAIMER:  
  
Well, the much anticipated Bombshell is dropped on the TF continuality, and no, I don't mean the Insecticon of the same name. And, as for the disclaimer, I own none of this, aside from some aspects of the plot.  
  
I look forward to hearing your reviews on this chapter, which is my favorite of the one's I've written to date.  
  
THINGS THAT WERE  
  
'How did it come to this? How did the 'Slag Maker' be reduced to being under the control of mere organics, without control of his own body.  
  
Well, I say mere. Perhaps that fool Rook was merely a human, but these new ones that I see in my moments of sight as they test my optics, have an inner strength I can understand, and respect.  
  
It seems much time has passed since Rook sealed us inside this cursed ship, The Ark. The new information that has been downloaded to my brain has given me much to think about, it has proved my salvation, unlike Starscream.  
  
Starscream. I pity him now that I have seen for myself what he went through for thousands of years. I myself have been subjected to the void for only a few months, and yet the fear has began to grow on me, that I will never be released from this eternal womb of nothingness. That fear threatens to consume me, and mould me into a mirror image of the screaming one.  
  
I thank the human who recently suggested they download a full account of their history to my memory banks to update that which Rook installed, and the one who reactivated my brain, granting my back my awareness, if not control of my body. Had I nothing with which to occupy my mind, I would surely have 'flipped', I think is the phrase. That is most likely why Starscream went mad. I however, had reams of new information to sift through. The recent history of the human race I found particularly interesting. An Endless Waltz of war and peace, much like the history of my race. The three beats of war, peace and revolution, forever repeating.  
  
That's why I respect this new generation of humans, unlike Rook's complacent breed. They have fought a war of attrition with each other, but had the sense to forge a peace and maintain that peace despite revolutions against it. They fight for their peace, and have hardened because of it. If only that had been achieved on Cybertron.  
  
I most also admit that since their twentieth century human technology has progressed at an amazing rate, perhaps enough to defeat my forces, powerful as they are. These machines called Gundams, and their pilots I find intriguing. How can organics barely a vorn and a half old become such skilled and devoted warriors.  
  
I suppose the same can be said of myself. I was young myself when I was recruited into Skorpinok's military. The young gladiator who fought for his own honour and the entertainment of others had somehow caught the eye of the supreme commander of Cybertron's armed forces, and had been recruited into the Decepticon army on the spur of the moment.  
  
How I survived those early years amazes me. I was easily the youngest cadet in my division and as such had to do better than the others to prove myself. I pushed myself beyond all the barriers, grew and matured faster than most, all the time using Skorpinok as my idol, my role model. And yet even at that time the rot had started to set in.  
  
To use a human analogy it was like a mighty tree that appeared sturdy and strong on the outside but was beginning to rot at the core. Skorpinok relished the power of commanding the Decepticons, but began to desire, nay, crave more. And eventually, soon after I had become his right-hand bot', that craving materialised in a war against the other transformers. That was the first beat, revolution.  
  
Skorpinok's only cause in that war was to gain power for himself, yet like a fool I supported him, drove his forces to strive for greater and more violent victories, yet I soon began to resent and loathe him, as did many of the other soldiers around me. Blinded in the bloodthirsty quest for power, Skorpinok failed to realise how many of his forces began to detest him as he cut down more and more innocents in his path.  
  
I remember the day well when it all came to a head. We had just stormed the steps of Iacon, the last barrier of resistance against his tyranny, when I realised that if this crazed megalomaniac came to wield supreme power, it would lead to the down fall of our race, and the destruction of Cybertron, which I loved above everything else.  
  
I often wonder what passed through Skorpinok's mind as he mounted the final stair, bringing his mighty cannon to bear on the battlements of Iacon, only to have a blade of pure energon pushed through his hips. He didn't scream or cower in pain, I recall, as I took his own energy sword and cleaved his body in two. For that, I suppose, I should respect him. Despite his power- mad cravings, he died the noble death of a warrior.  
  
When Cybertron realised that the tyrant was destroyed an age of peace began. I was hailed as the hero who had saved all transformers. Hordes of young bots worshipped at my feat, I was made the new commander of the Decepticons, age-old protectors of Cybertron. And it was then, that I had my revelation.  
  
I compared the young bot who had been drafted to what I had become. I had surpassed all expectations. I had taken the raw ability within myself and shaped it into something which was awed by the populace. I soon realised that all possessed this ability, yet I saw it being wasted. Hoards of transformers wasting their lives without fulfilling their true potential. I had a dream, a vision of what Cybertron and our people could become. The supreme rulers of a vast empire, as we were meant to be! But this potential was being wasted in a decadent regime devoted to pleasure and enjoyment. It was, is our destiny to be all we can be, and I saw that I was the only one who saw this.  
  
I knew then, that if Cybertron and the Transformers were to become that dream, I would have to be in power. Only with my guiding hand could it become a reality. But unlike Skorpinok's war, this would be a war that would benefit us, instead of passing all power to a maniacal tyrant.  
  
I was sure, that once my intentions became known, all of Cybertron would rush to back me, to fulfil my ideals, and many did. But the others, the fools, the weaklings, rushed to oppose me. Could they not see, were they blind to the glory that was within us, literally in our grasp, that we should seize the opportunity by the neck.  
  
No. They, fools that they were, believed that I was a oppressive dictator and a turncoat. They in turn, believed that all should be free to choose the course that their lives should take. Never had I heard such nonsense. The spiritual goal of our race is for all to be one, yet how can we be one when we all work in opposite directions, doing what we please.  
  
Despite the actions of these fools, I fought. I tore Prime after Prime limb from limb, all the while building the power of my army. Soon, the Autobot's were worked into a corner, on the verge of surrender. At the same time, I discovered a great secret, one that would make my dream a reality. All that was needed was for the war to end, then...  
  
...then, he arrived.  
  
Optimus Prime, a machine I admire and detest. At the time I first met him I saw him as nothing more than a jumped-up filing clerk, but I found him to have the same fire in him as me, the same drive to fight for his ideals. Unlike his predecessor, Sentinel Prime, he was a worthy opponent, an equal match in battle, unfortunately.  
  
Since that day millions of years ago I have not progressed with my dreams. I fight battle after battle with Prime, each one ending with a stalemate. Neither of us has been able to destroy the other, even though I have come close, he has always gained the upper hand, and vice versa. And, in desperation, I have succumbed to cowardly and loathsome tactics I would never have condoned before. I have become just as bloodthirsty and despised and murderous as Skorpinok. And I hate myself for it.  
  
Yet I continue my fight, because I know. I know that as soon as Optimus Prime ceases to exist, victory against the Autobots would be instant. And then, my great secret would be exploited.  
  
Cybertron, our planet, was once mobile, not bound by orbits or spatial geography. I knew that if I could restart the engines that drove it, and rebuilt Cybertron, it could become something that is both awesome and terrifying, a galactic dreadnought, with which we could conquer and rule whole galaxies, or even, for a race that is ageless and timeless, the whole universe.  
  
That is why I fight. If I die, my dream dies with me. No-one else has the drive, the skill, the vision to accomplish it. Once I had hoped that Starscream possessed those same feelings, that I could train him as a protege to take up my dream should I ever fail in battle. Our close friendship had led me to believe that he would be an excellent leader, talented, intelligent and filled with the same drive as me. That dream died with the onset of his insanity, and the end of our relationship. I often hoped that a spark of that relationship still existed, and that had I the time, I could cultivate that friendship again. But in war, there is never any time. And since then I have never met a person with the same qualities that I possess, and Starscream once did.  
  
I will not allow my dreams to die. And while Cybertron exists, I will continue to fight...'  
  
*  
  
THINGS THAT ARE  
  
COMMANDER'S LOG OF THE DECEPTICON SHUTTLE EPSILON/GAMMA/ALPHA12. 'VENGEANCE'  
  
The war of the transformers is over, but it has come at a terrible price.  
  
Cybertron is no more. It has ceased to exist. But it was not our war that destroyed hour home, the one place that both our factions fought to protect., No.  
  
It has been well over ten vorns, ten vorns since he descended on our world, tearing it apart, ripping out it's very core in his search for the two energies that existed as a threat to him, not aware that they had left our world half a megavorn ago.  
  
The first time he appeared, he left without harming us, but threatened that if we did not hand over the two energies, he would return, and destroy our world. After that ultimatum, our forces united to find a solution to the collective threat. Our greatest scholars, led by the greatest and wisest transformer of all, Alpha Trion, searched our records and historic data tracks. It was well known that the first energy was contained within the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, the mystic object rumoured to contain a fragment of Primus' laser core himself. The Matrix has been handed down from one Autobot leader to the other over many vorns, but the nature of the second energy has always been a mystery.  
  
At the same time as our scholars and intellectuals searched, the rest of our race prepared for the ultimate battle, to save us from him. Yet we knew it was a hopeless battle that was coming, so at the same time we prepared to evacuate the planet.  
  
It was after many long vorns of searching, that Trion discovered the nature of the second energy, rumoured to have been mere hearsay. It was amazing. Rather than an object of creation, like the Matrix, the other was an object of destruction, a great limitless energy contained within a powerful weapon, the most powerful in existence. As to what weapon, it was equally amazing.  
  
Like the Autobots, the Decepticons have existed since a race of robotic slaves was given sentience by means unknown, many believing to be a great deity, Primus. Each race possessed a great energy that befitted their purpose. The Autobots were labourers, so theirs was the Matrix, an object that gave life. The Decepticons were warriors, Cybertron's defenders, so theirs was an energy of destruction, which took life away, making a kind of poetic sense. And there was but one weapon it could be, one that had been passed from each Decepticon leader to the other. Though he reason for this passing had faded into obscurity, it was maintained as a tradition. In keeping with this tradition, Megatron had taken this weapon from Skorpinok's corpse at the gates of Iacon.  
  
But no sooner had we discovered these things that he returned. And he refused to listen to reason, enraged at being denied what he had demanded. In his fury, he tore Cybertron apart.  
  
I can remember casting one last look round our greatest fortress, Kolkular, as I boarded our escape transport. All transformers have believed that Cybertron was alive, the planet always seemed to hum, a song we could understand. But now, the song had become a dirge, a funeral lament for the planet itself. As he tore his massive, clawed hands into the surface of the planet, a great scream rose up, as millions of lives were squashed out before they could escape. Even myself, regarded as one of the coldest and most unemotional of beings, felt a cold shudder run up my body at that sound.  
  
As the pride of my forces escaped in the same shuttle as myself, he tore into the chamber at Cybertron's very core, the Plasma Energy Chamber, which saved our lives.  
  
Had he not done that, he would have picked us off as we sped to outer space, but his haste to destroy the planet released a wave of electrically charged Plasma Energy, which overloaded our ship enough to drive us far enough into the depths of space, away from Alpha Centurai that the dark one might never reach us.  
  
As we fled, behind us, Cybertron erupted into a massive orange flower, beautiful even in death, as smaller ships, less lucky than ourselves, were consumed in the fireball. Among this cataclysm, he stood, laughing in his evil glee, consuming the remnants of what had been our home mere breems before hand.  
  
In those ten vorns since, those few ships who were lucky enough to escape have joined together in a vast flotilla, led by the two largest ships, the Autobot vessel Salvation, commanded by the honourable Ultra Magnus, and the Vengeance, commanded by myself. In total we have near 2.5 thousand survivors, but that is a mere fraction of a percentage of Cybertron's former population. Our race is all but dead.  
  
Now however, we few are united in our quest. To find the two most powerful leaders of our collective race, Optimus Prime and Megatron, and recover the lost energies, so that we may have revenge against he who destroyed our race. We will continue to search, forever if needs be, as long as it will end in the destruction of the dark one.  
  
I swear that as long as my spark functions, that I, Shockwave, will always be an ally to all his enemies.  
  
END LOG ENTRY  
  
*  
  
AND SOME WHICH HAVE NOT YET COME TO PASS...  
  
'It is time.  
  
Yes, I have felt a stirring in the great cosmos. It has been building gradually for centuries, but the energies are building in power. Now, they are like a beacon to me, drawing me near. They are the only things that can stand in my way, and when they are destroyed, I, who have cruised the infinite byways of the cosmos, will continue of my quest of destruction.  
  
I am destruction,  
  
I am pain,  
  
I am grief and suffering,  
  
I am the bringer of chaos and apocalypse.  
  
I am the only one that shall remain in the eternal void,  
  
I am the great destroyer, the dark one.  
  
I am Unicron.  
  
It is time.'  
  
To be continued.  
  
AUTHOR NOTE.  
  
IMPORTANT: Sorry, but don't expect updates for at least a week. On Friday I'm going way for a four-day Christian festival at Cheltenham Racecourse called Greenbelt. During this time I'll be camping but I'll take a disk with me in case I get access to a computer during that time.  
  
After that, I've got just under a week before my next term of school begins.  
  
I'd also like to take the opportunity to apologise for spelling and grammatical errors in this chapter and the last, along with the lack of chapter notes, because I'm currently a bag of nerves. Tomorrow, Thursday, I receive the results for my most important school tests ever. At age 16 in the UK we take exams called GCSEs, which decide whether we stay on for a further two years of optional education, or leave school and get jobs.  
  
I took eleven GCSE exams, and I must get grade A+ to C to pass in each one. I hope to get at least 50% Bs and 50% As and up. If, tomorrow, I get good results, I'm going to go down to the bar with my mates, and get drunk. Also, if I get bad results in things like English and physics, I might get so depressed I utterly give up on this work of mine. However 'LOTS. OF. REVIEWS.' might cure that. If you've read this far, please, please, please review. I get so depressed now that my amount of reviews has fallen to one every three days I'm utterly demoralised. And this, time, I'm serious.  
  
Well, I will be updating as soon as possible, but now, it's ten in the evening, and I'm nervous, exhausted, and my innards feel like they've been tied in a knot with anxiety. See ya'.  
  
WISH ME LUCK! 


	10. War and Peace

CHAPTER 8. WAR & PEACE  
  
AUTHORS NOTE:  
  
Well, it's been a long time in coming but here it is, the next chapter of my epic saga. I probably guess some of you thought I'd given up on this endeavour. Rest assured I'm still working on it. What your currently reading is page 57 out of currently 102, and I'm probably only halfway through what this will be when it's ended.  
  
Firstly, may I thank everyone who wished me all the best for my GCSE results. Here's how I scored;  
  
4. A+ 6. A 1. B  
  
GREAT!  
  
Secondly, at the festival I mention (Greenbelt), I've dug up a lot of material for further fanfics.  
  
Now then...What you may find interesting is that since I began it I've believed that this fic was destined to happen, that there is a connection between GW and TF. Well, on Sunday night, I found this link on the internet.  
  
Nearly all the GW actors have loaned their voices to the recent Transformer TV shows, mainly Armada and Beast Wars. For example, the actor David Kaye, voice of Treize Kushrenada, has also voiced every Megatron ever, with the exception of the original, done by the great Frank Welker (300 roles to his name and still growing).  
  
However, in the GW cast, the role of most TF voices goes to Scott McNeil, who gave life to the following in Beast Wars;  
  
Waspinator Silverbolt Dinobot Rattrap  
  
...and in Armada he's the voice of Jetfire. Who is this Scott McNeil. Well, run any line of Rattrap's through your mind. Who else can it be, but DUO MAXWELL! He also voices Wolverine in the X-Men: Evolution Show.  
  
Also, Relena's adoptive father shares the same voice as Armada Starscream!  
  
Yes I know. Odd isn't it. There's far more links between these shows and others. For more info and pictures of the actors who breathed life into our favourite physcopathic suicidal teenagers and their enemies (some of them bear a striking resemblance, except for being about twenty years older. Give David Kaye those neat eyebrows and the right costume and he could act Treize in a live action movie!), try out this link.  
  
www.gundamvoices.com  
  
DISCLAIMER:  
  
Sadly, I don't own this or the characters. All I own is this lame-ass excuse for a plot. Because if I did own GW and TF, I'd take Endless Waltz and TF: The Movie and make them into blockbusters. Try searching for the original script of Transformers; the Movie on the internet, it's far superior to the final product.  
  
And now! On with the show!  
  
CHAPTER 8. WAR & PEACE.  
  
Sparkplug Witwicky wiped his hands, not noting the oil and grease that coated the rag he was using. He was a mechanic, and cleanliness has never been a top priority to someone who has a love affair with machines.  
  
They'd done it. It had taken two months of hard labour, but himself and a small group of engineers had managed to work out exactly how the mystery suits operated, and siphoned enough fuel from the tanks of the inactive mechs to fully fuel one of the two largest machines. There had been quite a debate on which of the two suits would be fuelled. He himself, was quite interested in firing up the truck, but that was his interest in historic motor vehicles talking. As a mechanic, his interest was most piqued by the massive grey suit. Also, on an engineering level, the truck was a risk. The upper chest area had refused to open to any tool, despite the fact that it seemed hinged to open outwards. They'd even tried to get an engineer to crawl up through from the lower chest area, with no avail. He'd nearly died when he got wedged between two massive capacitor banks. The grey machine though, was much easier, as if the design was older and simpler than the others. Though they had not found a cockpit, they had been able to install the mobile doll system to the giant mech and jury rig a transmitter to broadcast data to it. Speaking of broadcasts...  
  
He turned to a tech behind him.  
  
"You still couldn't raise the Genesis with the news we were ready to roll?"  
  
"Nah. Either her radio's down or they don't wanna' hear."  
  
"Fine. Well we'd best go ahead before that fuel loses the charge."  
  
As Sparkplug watched, a thick pipe that had been pumping the mystery fuel into the giant pulled clear and the last engineer jumped off the suit from testing the connections on the doll hardware. He rubbed his hands in barely concealed glee.  
  
"Right, it's time."  
  
*  
  
It was impossible to bring Genesis more than five miles to shore. The continental shelf rose sharply at this point of the coast of Oregon, and the high waves that had appeared as a result of this and the sudden high- winds that plagued the Pacific Northwest threatened to swamp the already- ailing Typhoon if she came any closer to the coast.  
  
Looking through binoculars, Howard could just see Mt. St. Hillary from the conning tower. He suddenly ducked as with a thunderous roar, six metal titans flew over the sub and darted towards the shore. As they passed, he waved, and the jet leading the group dipped it's wings in response.  
  
"Thanks Howard!"  
  
He cocked an eyebrow at the radio signal. All of the Gundam pilots had quickly accepted Starscream, even though he had tried to blow them up two weeks ago. In particular he had formed a rapport with Wufei and Zechs, and the three had spent many hours sealed in the missile bay discussing the nature and philosophy of war and peace. He quietly prayed they reached the mountain before the mechanic running the show did something rash. Genesis' had lost her broadcast ability on the radio and satellite com systems during the attack and the signal they'd received from the site only an hour before indicated that something bad was about to happen.  
  
*  
  
"Crank it up Frank!"  
  
"Right Sparkplug!"  
  
Frank Cullen, a young pilot, was sitting in the cockpit off a scrapped Leo which had been wired to the grey suit via the mobile doll system. He reached out and, with one hand, flipped the activation lever.  
  
TIME TILL FULL SYSTEM REBOOT: 5 MINS 0 SECS  
  
*  
  
The bizarre aerial formation neared the coast. Leading the way was Zechs, who surprisingly, had no problems in returning to Starscream's cockpit, who was flying in his jet mode, which he had very quickly displayed a liking for. Behind came Wing Zero in bird mode, then the other Gundam's, including Heavyarms with a reconstructed head. Bringing up the rear was the Tallgeese 3 in place of Deathscythe, which was wobbling slightly.  
  
Zechs noticed the Tallgeese's erratic flying in his rear view display and flicked on his radio.  
  
"Duo, you having trouble with the Tallgeese."  
  
The reply back reeked of nervousness.  
  
"Heck no! Just like riding a bike," Duo made an attempt at a wisecrack, "are you telling me this gave you a heart attack when you first flew it!"  
  
Shaking his head, Zechs' flipped off his radio and cast his eye's skyward.  
  
"Some things never change."  
  
Noin leant over from the cockpit's rear seat and tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Can you please watch where you're going?"  
  
Zechs smirked and took his hand's off the controls.  
  
"Noin, I'm not flying, Starscream is and may I say, you have a remarkable aptitude for being a back-seat driver."  
  
As Noin sank back into her seat in a black mood, Zechs and the jet chuckled together.  
  
*  
  
2 MINS 30 SECS  
  
Sparkplug calmly munched a doughnut as the suit's red optics began to glow slightly. Spaying crumb's everywhere, he jumped for joy.  
  
"Yes! It's alive. It's alive!"  
  
He looked like some strange reincarnation of Dr. Victor Frankenstein.  
  
1 MIN 45 SECS  
  
"Eh! Sparkplug. I think you'd better see this."  
  
"What?"  
  
Cullen beckoned him over to the pieced together cockpit. All of the displays were flashing,  
  
"SYSTEM OVERRIDE. SYSTEM OVERRIDE. SYSTEM OVERRIDE."  
  
Sparkplug tapped at the console. Nothing happened.  
  
1 MIN 00 SECS  
  
"Shit! Everyone get out of here. Now!"  
  
As the engineers evacuated the chamber, he paused a brief second.  
  
"What have we done?"  
  
*  
  
As the six metal shapes flew over the compound, the three Gundams and the Tallgeese touched down by the main shaft, while Starscream and Wing Zero circled the mountain to bleed off speed.  
  
*  
  
0 MIN 00 SECS. FULL SYSTEM REBOOT COMPLETE.  
  
A massive black hand twitched. The lips broke apart and gasped as if taking a first breath.  
  
"I. still. function...ARGH!"  
  
With a gasp of what seemed like pain the massive mech leapt to his feet, clutching his chest.  
  
"Cold, alone...I feel..."  
  
His head snapped up, red eyes staring into oblivion.  
  
"CYBERTRON'S DESTROYED!"  
  
*  
  
As the two aircraft circled the summit of the mountain for the last time something rumbled beneath the surface, like a massive sliding of rocks. Even from the air it was audible. Heero frowned in his cockpit as Zechs and Noin pressed their faces to the orange glass of Starscream's cockpit.  
  
"Was that an earthquake."  
  
"No," was Starscream's grim reply. "He's awake. I can feel it. His energy signature'sSHIT!"  
  
The red seeker banked away from the mountainside suddenly.  
  
"What..."  
  
BA---DOOOOOOOM!  
  
With a titanic roar of released energy the whole northern flank of the mountain burst outwards, as if impaled on the streak of raw purple and white energy that spewed from the core of the volcano. As the displaced material slid to the foot of the slope, an agonised cry could be heard crying from the dark cavern that had just been formed.  
  
"IT'S DESTROYED! MY DREAMS...I DEVOTED MY LIFE...DECAVORNS OF WORK...GONE!"  
  
Still screaming in mental agony, a monstrous figure rose from the ruins of the volcano, hovering on a tower of purple energy that was flowing from the massive cannon that adorned the right arm.  
  
His silver armour was no longer coated with dust, but gleaming with new life, the black detail on his body shone, and his red optics blazed like the eternal fires of Hades. Proudly adorning his chest was the purple sigil of the Decepticons. Starscream recognised the figure, but to the other observers, it was a new and awe-inspiring sight.  
  
"Megatron."  
  
*  
  
'Gone...and with it, my dreams.'  
  
Megatron hovered over Mt. St. Hillary, chest heaving deeply.  
  
'and without it, my life no longer has meaning.'  
  
A small, cynical grin flickered across his face.  
  
'so I might as well join it in oblivion...'  
  
He reached deep within himself, and flicked the mental switch.  
  
PARTICLE ACCELERATOR ACTIVATED. ANTIMATTER CRITICAL MASS IN 1 MIN 00 SECS.  
  
*  
  
A monitor within Starscream's cockpit began to flash alarmingly.  
  
INCREASED PULSE CYCLE SEQUENCE DETECTED.  
  
"Starscream, what does this mean?"  
  
"Shit!" Starscream murmured to himself more than anything, "he's charging it."  
  
"Charging what?"  
  
"The cannon, his fusion cannon."  
  
"You mean he's going to ATTACK US!"  
  
"No, he's going to destroy himself."  
  
"What! Why?"  
  
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."  
  
*  
  
'WHUM-WHUM-WHUM-WHUM-WHUP!'  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
Megatron spun at the familiar transformation harmonic, only to see a red blur charging at him. The said blur slowed and formed into a familiar form.  
  
"Starscream, you live!"  
  
"MEGATRON! WHY!?"  
  
"Why, why do I wish to destroy myself? Simple. The thing I devoted my life to...IS DESTROYED!" Showing surprising manoeuvrability for his size, Megatron darted around the red seeker, who spun to follow. The cannon on his arm was beginning to pulse alarmingly, white light gleaming between the seams in the barrel.  
  
*  
  
"What in the smeg is that guy doing!"  
  
Duo was leaning so far forward out of seat his nose was touching Tallgeese's main view screen.  
  
Heero's grim voice came in over the intercom.  
  
"Starscream mentioned this. That fusion cannon has the ability to charge massive amounts of antimatter before releasing it in a single pulse. But if too much antimatter collects together, it reaches critical mass and..."  
  
"And what?"  
  
"Detonates with the force of a small sun going nova."  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
*  
  
ALARM! ALARM! CRITICAL MASS IN FIFTEEN SECONDS.  
  
The two adversaries continued to circle each other, throwing back comments to each other, gradually rising higher into the sky.  
  
"Destroyed? But how can you know?"  
  
"DON'T QUESTION MY WORD YOU SNIVELLING WEAKLING!" With that, Megatron thrust the cannon towards his former air commander, releasing the charged antimatter, seconds before it went critical.  
  
Instead of the purple blast they had seen before, a blue/white beam of blinding energy burst from the cannon's barrel, shredding the metal, while a backwash of glowing white plasma burst from the gun's rear ion intake. Starscream, quickly leapt out of the path of the blast with a neat somersault, before shooting into the air, eclipsing the sun. The blast shot straight and true, cutting the height of a near mountain by several hundred feet in a titanic blast of rock and plasma.  
  
"NEVER AGAIN MEGATRON!"  
  
In a graceful arc, he soared back down, slamming into the massive mech's barrel-chest feet-first with a stunning force. Megatron tumbled backwards through the air, pulled out of his fall and rocketed towards Starscream, a new weapon crackling and sparkling in his hand. The energy mace.  
  
"You've improved Starscream..."  
  
He struck the shocked seeker in the chest with the mace, shattering the cockpit glass.  
  
"...but I'm still better..."  
  
As Starscream's cockpit suddenly de-pressurised, Noin and Zechs were sucked from their seats and tossed out into the blue void. Both quickly pulled the ripcords on their parachutes and drifted towards the mining complex. Megatron stared after them in surprise, before wheeling on Starscream with a new fury blazing in his eyes.  
  
"YOU ALLOWED ORGANICS TO CO-HABITATE YOUR BODY! YOU DARE CALL YOURSELF A DECEPTICON! ARGH!"  
  
His cannon suddenly projected an energy shield, bringing it up just in time to block a thrust from a beam sabre Starscream had produced. Despite the stunning impact, both held fast, Starscream's thrusters straining against the shield's resistance with all their force, spewing blue fire and roaring with a fury that reflected the two robots rage.  
  
Starscream stared through the shield's purple haze, glaring into his former friend and leader's red optics.  
  
"Those organics have more honour in their frail bodies than you EVER POSSESSED!." With that scream, he kicked in his afterburners, pushing Megatron aside, before spinning and coming back towards the silver warmonger with dazzling speed, only to come up short on Megatron's own laser sword. As the two warriors bounced off each other's thrusts, he continued to rant.  
  
"I THOUGHT...THE DECEPTICONS STOOD FOR HONOUR...FOR JUSTICE...AND YOU...ARE NONE OF THOSE THINGS!"  
  
*  
  
The Gundams still watched in awe, pilots standing in the open cockpits. Starscream's rants could be heard over the clash of the sabres, and the resulting battle was lighting up the sky like a fireworks display.  
  
"Come on. We've got work to do."  
  
Wing Zero touched down beside the other mighty suits.  
  
"You got those canister's ready."  
  
Each Gundam held up an arm, displaying the canister each carried strapped to their arms. Heero nodded approvingly.  
  
"Then let's go," he looked skyward, where the two mechanical titans continued to wage war.  
  
"Those two are going to destroy each other, unless we take action...NOW!"  
  
With that, Wing Zero leapt into the sky, followed by the other Gundams which followed him towards the hole Megatron had blasted to exit the mountain. Below, Tallgeese continued to monitor the fray in case things took a further turn for the worse.  
  
*  
  
"Honour, Justice? Those thing's mean nothing to me Starscream, not for vorns. All that matters to me is Cybertron, and without it...I AM NOTHING!"  
  
Megatron paused in the heat of the battle. His body was scarred and beaten, the shining finish dulled and blackened. Starscream gave him a single, piercing look.  
  
"You are nothing Megatron, only because of yourself. You were something. I only stayed with the Decepticons because you were the hero of Skorpinok's war. You were a legend, I idolised you, as did everyone else. You stood for something. AND YOU THREW THAT ALL AWAY TO CHASE A DREAM!"  
  
Once again the two Decepticons lay into each other, but it was clear that Starscream was beginning to fight a loosing battle. Megatron was drawing power from something other than electricity, years of pent up anguish, regret, and loathing were being released in this one battle.  
  
*  
  
"Hook up those lines!"  
  
The four Gundam's each produced a pipe from the canisters on their arms and linked them up to the two fuel tanks on the legs of the massive mech they were grouped around. Each pipe began to convulse and writhe as fluid began to surge through them. Quatre lifted the goggles he customarily wore from his eyes and blew his bangs out of his face.  
  
"Starscream said this guy was the only one who could possibly make Megatron see sense. I hope he's right."  
  
Pale blue light flickered in the awakening juggernaught's eyes.  
  
*  
  
"I ONCE RESPECTED YOU MEGATRON, AND I WAS MY FAULT THAT OUR FRIENDSHIP ENDED- I REGRETTED IT EVERYDAY FOR VORNS!"  
  
The two robots rebounded off each other, but Starscream's swings were becoming weaker and slower. Megatron paused briefly, surprise registering on his face.  
  
"You did?"  
  
Starscream faced him. The height they were at suggested a deep gorge dividing them. He breathed heavily. He had taken a much heavier beating than Megatron, his cockpit was shattered, one of his air intakes was twisted out of shape, his portside wing tip dangled on a few wires, his body was streaked with burn marks, and he leaked fluid from numerous places.  
  
"Yes, I did. I regretted each time I stabbed you in the back, because it made it less likely we would ever settle that feud, but now..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"...I'm slightly glad that I didn't become a mirror image of you."  
  
Megatron's face twisted in rage, becoming a grotesque gargoyle like image.  
  
"SO BE IT!"  
  
With that, he thundered towards Starscream, who seemed resigned to his fate, blade extinguished in his blue palm.  
  
Megatron raised the sword, preparing to drive it home to the hilt.  
  
"NOT TODAY MEGATRON!"  
  
A massive pain erupted in his side, and spread to every extremity of his chassis as he tumbled out of control, colliding into Starscream as he fell.  
  
*  
  
The massive red and blue mech lowered the smoking weapon from his hands as Megatron was engulfed in a giant fireball.  
  
"I had hoped that it would be over, if there was nothing left for us to fight over."  
  
A massive hand clutched the truck-like chest.  
  
"If cybertron is gone, why should this war continue..."  
  
From the shadows, the Gundams watched as the leader of the Autobots cast aside his weapon.  
  
"Maybe there is hope for peace."  
  
*  
  
Megatron had heard that on the verge of deactivation, your whole life flashed before him. Instead of that he saw a few choice images from his life as the fireball consumed him, the pain strangely distant. His harsh early life as a gladiator, his even harder military training, the pain and suffering of the battlefield.  
  
'All my life has been dedicated to fighting...but there was a time...a while...'  
  
A new image flashed briefly from his memory, an image of a young seeker cadet, driven by revenge. The cadet who had been for a long time his only friend, the person who had always been for him in the low he suffered after a lost battle.  
  
'Starscream...he was the only other thing I cared about along with Cybertron...that was one thing that had kept me going during the latter days of the war. The promise that when the battles were over, those good times would be relived, that the feud would end.'  
  
His eyes flicked open.  
  
"I'LL END THIS WAR NOW IF I COULD HAVE THOSE TIMES AGAIN!"  
  
As if some deity had heard his words, the pain faded. He looked about him. He lay in a smoking crater in the ground, and for the first time he looked around at the alien surroundings which were strangely familiar.  
  
"So this is Earth."  
  
Staggering, he pulled himself to his feet. He looked around slowly; a second crater had been punched in the earth only a few feet away. Inside, Starscream lay, unconcious, his face frozen in a smirk of defeat.  
  
Megatron kneeled and stared at that face, hand rubbing his chin.  
  
"You've always been an enigma to me Starscream, and know, you've changed again just when I thought I had you figured out."  
  
"Is he alive?"  
  
Megatron turned. A massive white mech towered over his crouched form. He noted with some surprise a similarity to his own design, from the wide, deep chest to the massive black weapon carried on the right arm. Something clicked in his memory.  
  
"The Tallgeese 3?"  
  
"That's right." The massive mobile suit trained its weapon on his head.  
  
"Tell me why I shouldn't do this right now. Tell me why I shouldn't destroy a monster."  
  
Megatron stared up, resignation in his eyes.  
  
"Nothing but your conciense at striking down an unarmed enemy."  
  
A new voice cut in.  
  
"Like that ever stopped you in the past."  
  
Megatron's eyes widened at that familiar voice.  
  
"Prime?"  
  
*  
  
'I stand here, on the edge of this clearing. This machine has Megatron at his mercy, yet does one who is without mercy deserve it?  
  
Yes. I've never cut down an unarmed enemy in my life, and I cannot see someone else do it, even if the target is Megatron.'  
  
*  
  
Megatron's eyes went wide as the ground shuddered beneath him to massive footsteps. Prime rested a hand on the Tallgeese's shoulder.  
  
"Stand down soldier.'  
  
The Tallgeese stared at Prime.  
  
"Why should I? I don't know you."  
  
"Do it Duo. This is their battle."  
  
Another massive mech had entered the clearing, one that Megatron identified as the Wing Zero. Slowly, the Tallgeese lowered its weapon.  
  
*  
  
Prime knelt down before his age-old nemesis.  
  
"I can feel it too Megatron. The pain, the cold, the suffering inside. I know that Cybertron is gone." He stood and held out a hand.  
  
"But I'm partly glad, because it means our battle is over, Why should this war continue if the thing we fought over is gone."  
  
Megatron was chuckling quietly, shaking his head.  
  
"Always the realist Prime, rather than the dreamer. Very well"  
  
Megatron grasped the proffered hand and the massive Autobot pulled him to his feet. He clasped the hand.  
  
"Our war is over."  
  
The two massive machines faced each other, red optics staring into blue, hands squeezing each other. Suddenly, a chuckle rent the air. The grouped mechs spun their heads towards the second crater.  
  
Starscream was sitting up in the crater, leaning on one arm, an ironic smirk on his face.  
  
"I was hoping Prime would talk some sense into you Megatron but you caved in earlier than I expected. You've gotten soft."  
  
Megatron's face split into a massive grin.  
  
"Some things never change,"  
  
He walked over and helped Starscream up, supporting him.  
  
"old friend."  
  
As the three transformers chuckled slowly, the four Gundams and the Tallgeese watched on. Heero and Trowa grunted in approval, Wufei gave a small smile that Starscream had started to rebuild his shattered friendship.  
  
"Celebrate good times. Come on! Oh Yeah! Celebrate good times..."  
  
Duo had lapsed into rambunctious singing. If there was room in the Tallgeese's cockpit he would be dancing around it.  
  
Quatre was slightly more subdued in his celebration. He wiped a small tear from his eye.  
  
"Old adversaries meet. It's so beautiful;."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
NOTE:  
  
Not very good I know, but now I'm getting into my stride. Expect the story to begin developing at a more rapid pace, with betreyal, battle, sacrifice, romance, comedy, and a great evil that draws ever closer...  
  
And once again, thanks for all the e-mails wishing me the best in my exams. You all did a great deal to steady my nerves.  
  
See ya'. 


	11. Awakenings

CHAPTER 9. AWAKENING  
  
AUTHOR NOTE: Wow! Has it really been 2 months since I last updated.No it's definitely been longer. Sorry so much to everyone who've been begging for updates to no avail, but your cries have been heard.  
  
My reasons? Well not only have I started a new, harsher school year with all the homework that entails, but I am now happily(?) among the ranks of the employed, serving as a waiter in a restaurant. Also, I'm being badgered to start studying for my Driving Exams in December/January (Frankly, I need them. Last time I was in the driver's seat of a car I nearly took the rear- view mirror off).  
  
So enjoy these new chapters.  
  
IMPORTANT NOTE! For TF fans, my continuality sticks with that of Dreamwave's War Within story arc. i.e. all the transformer sub groups existed prior to the crash- landing on earth and are thus present when the TFs awake. Sorry for this break from continuality but it was too hard to write a decent story with so few TFs to use. But it does mean we get to see the gestalt teams (Devastator, Bruticus etc.) go into combat and beat each other up. Now I'm gonna run before the strict followers of TF cannon come after me with flamethrowers and guns.  
  
PS. Many thanks are owed to reviewer Cyblade Silver, whose constant reviewing over the last few weeks promted me to finally update.  
  
DISCLAIMER: This use of characters belonging to Hasbro, Dreamwave and Sunrise is not for monetary gain and purely for forms of entertainment.  
  
ENJOY!  
  
2 DAYS LATER (35 CYBERTRONIAN MEGACYCLES)  
  
OUTER SPACE  
  
"Commander Magus."  
  
The noble face of Autobot commander Ultra Magnus turned and stared at the sinister indigo figure behind him, single cyclops eye twinkling in the darkness. He nodded slightly.  
  
"Shockwave."  
  
The two figures turned and gazed out of the bridge view screen of the Autobot craft Salvation. Before them, the awed splendour of space stretched out, an infinite void, dusted with myriad stars, all burning bright and steadily. Lifeless, yet full of life.  
  
Magnus gazed at it morosely.  
  
"They could be anywhere out there you know."  
  
Shockwave barely inclined his head.  
  
"We will find them. Our race's existence depends on it."  
  
"Then you've heard."  
  
Shockwave clenched his one purple fist, on his other arm; the barrel of his radiation cannon began to crackle with barely contained fury.  
  
"I heard that Unicron devoured a whole world only a megacycle ago because they offered sanctuary to some of our number who escaped Cybertron."  
  
"We've escaped his wrath for a whole orn, but now he's picking us off, one ship at a time. If we don't find the missing armies soon we may have less than a duin to live."  
  
"NEVER!"  
  
Ultra Magnus turned in surprise. Shockwave seemed to many to be a cold, unemotional analyst. For him to show any form of emotion called for something. Shockwave continued, his amber optic seemingly trying to burn a hole in the transparsteel viewport.  
  
"Never will I allow that abomination to take me before I get him. My weapon may not harbour the second energy, but I swear that if he comes for us I'll unleash upon him a barrage of firepower like this universe has never seen."  
  
The said weapon was gestured towards the viewport, now dribbling thin streams of superheated plasma.  
  
Shockwave's voice had dropped back to its usual cold, dead tones. Magnus knew that he meant what he said. He hefted his mighty rifle, and the missile launchers on his shoulders glinted ominously in the artificial half- light.  
  
"The same goes for me, friend."  
  
*  
  
"TRANSFORMERS, HEAR ME!"  
  
The former drill area of the Ark had been converted to an assembly hall, which was now crowded with close to fifty agitated transformers, approximately twenty-five Decepticons and twenty-five Autobots, each group eying each other warily. On a temporary dais raised at the far end of the hall, stood Prime, behind what reminded Duo of the pulpit at the Maxwell church where he had grown up, and nearly died. Behind him stood the powerful forms of Megatron, Starscream and Prime's second in command, the easy-going, but battle-skilled Jazz. At the rear of the hall stood a collection of mobile suits. Along with the four Gundams and the Tallgeese stood a Taurus. Each of the Gundam's pilots was sitting on the mech's heads, where they had a grandstand view of the hall. Along with Duo on the head of the Tallgeese was Noin and Zechs, both recovered from their freefall from 20,000 ft. Sally, Latta and Howard were all perched on the shoulders of a Taurus which Une had arrived in. As they waited, the commander of the preventers shinned up from the cockpit and joined them.  
  
Heero turned to the young blonde woman beside him, who was staring in dumbstruck awe at the mass gathering of engineering marvels. Heero himself was pretty amazed, but he was not allowing himself to show it.  
  
"You alright Relena?"  
  
Relena Dorlain nodded slowly and smiled, before turning her attention back to Prime's speech.  
  
"Our war is over, and we now have peace, but we have had to pay a terrible cost for the mistakes of the past. Cybertron...is no more."  
  
A massive cry went up from the gathered robots.  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
"ARE YOU CRAZY!?"  
  
"WE'RE HOMELESS!"  
  
"IT'S AN AUTOBOT LIE!"  
  
Prime gestured for silence, but the hubbub continued. He turned to Megatron and shook his head, but what he said could not be heard over the din.  
  
"SHUT UP!"  
  
The new bestial roar came from a group of massive Autobot's gathered in the centre of the hall. The obvious leader, a yellow and grey machine wielding a massive sword stepped forward, all eyes in the hall following him.  
  
"Me Grimlock want hear what Prime has to say!"  
  
Quiet held for a few seconds before the machines furthest away from the self-proclaimed Grimlock burst back into chatter, those surrounding him holding a nervous, uneasy silence.  
  
Megatron stepped to the fore and blew a small hole in the ceiling with his cannon, quickly gaining the attention of the audience.  
  
"Cybertron. is. GONE!" He said through gritted teeth, emphasising every word as if to infants. "It. is. not. a. matter. for. DISCUSSION! Prime has felt it, as have I!"  
  
All of the Decepticons took a step back at the outburst, as did many Autobots. Megatron made for a very commanding figure. One smaller mech however, a yellow and purple figure with a chest that seemed lifted off a jeep stepped forward.  
  
"Prove it Megatron," his thin wheedling voice immediately gyrating on everyone's nerves, "we've just woken up from a four million year nap and you drop this bullcrap on us and you expect us to take the word of yourself, the leader of the enemy, screamy here, and a group of filthy organics." The smaller Decepticon waved a hand at the mobile suits gathered at the back of the hall as a low murmur of agreement rose from some of the gathered robots.  
  
Heero stiffened; this was promising to turn ugly.  
  
The small jeep stepped up again. "I was awake 300 years ago, when those organics took me, used my body for their own means, nearly made me fight in their own wars. USED ME!" a tone of indignation in his voice, "like a dumb machine...EEP!" A massive sword had been lowered against his neck, the razor-sharp blade gently caressing his chassis. He slowly looked up to see a towering grey machine that stood on an even height with the dominating Grimlock holding the hilt, fire in his optics. Swindle gulped nervously.  
  
"Hello...Motormaster."  
  
The massive Motormaster unloaded a massive amount of spleen on the tiny machine that barely came up to his waist.  
  
"SWINDLE YOU DOUBLE-DEALING RUNT! YOU DARE QUESTION THE WORD OF LORD MEGATRON! WE PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE TO HIM, AND IF HE CHOOSES TO ALLY HIMSELF WITH AUTOBOTS AND ORGANICS, IT IS NOT OURS TO QUESTION THOSE CHOICES!"  
  
A gigantic hand clamped over Motormaster's sword and clenched, crushing the imposing blade.  
  
"I would like you to remember Motormaster, that Swindle is a Combatacon, and any threat to him is a threat to all of us. Don't. make. Bruticus. mad." The new voice was spoken with an air of casual indifference, but thinly veiled an immense aura of menace. The atmosphere was electric.  
  
Megatron leaned over the pulpit. Rather than anger, his face was filled with resignation and weariness.  
  
"Motormaster, Onslaught. This is not the time, or the place, to begin an all out war between comrades, which we all are now, by decree of both Prime and myself."  
  
*  
  
At the back of the hall a trio of jets were whispering to each other, their distinctive coned heads making them look rather ridiculous.  
  
"Megatron's gone soft Thrust."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"You can see it in his face. Allied with Autobots and Organics, he's sunk as low as a Decepticon can go."  
  
"Perhaps the time is right for us."  
  
"Don't be stupid Ramjet, he'd blow us away!"  
  
"That matters not," a slow monotonous tone intervened, "He's likely to lead us to destruction with this new mindset anyhow."  
  
"You do have a point there Dirge."  
  
Duo, sitting behind the three on the head of the Tallgeese sniggered. He turned to Noin, trying to suppress giggles.  
  
"Not too high on the braincell count these coneheads."  
  
"No, and that's why I think we should be taking care."  
  
"What?"  
  
Duo spun to Zechs, who was leaning against one of the gold antennae that rose up from Tallgeese's brow. The preventer was in a nonchalant pose; one hand in pocket, leaning against the spike casually, but his face was deadly serious.  
  
"This place's like a powderkeg about to blow, and it will only take one spark to ignite it. Those three," he gestured at the three gossiping coneheads, blissfully unaware of their presence, "are dumb enough to provide it." Duo joined him in frowning.  
  
"Yeah, you're right. We should watch our backs."  
  
*  
  
Relena was becoming very impressed by the oratory skills of the massive red and blue mech that was currently addressing the gathered troops. As a politician herself, she was used to dissecting the speeches of opponents, but she could find no fault with this Optimus Prime. He spoke without flair, but a simple down to earth honesty.  
  
"Megatron and I are not forcing you to believe us, you can choose to believe what you will," he leant over the front of the pulpit, "but what we are saying is the truth, and if you ignore it, it will lead to your downfall."  
  
Relena nodded approvingly.  
  
A snort rose up from one of the three 'coneheads'. Thrust, the large maroon and navy one stepped forward, fist raised in the air.  
  
"Well I choose not to believe. Cybertron belongs to the Decepticons by right!" a murmur of similar feeling rose up. "I can see through your plot Prime. You seek to deceive us. And you Megatron, you disgust me with your weakness." Megatron's hand clenched into a fist, the metal creaking under the pressure.  
  
"WHY DOES IT MATTER!?"  
  
Heads spun. A blue Decepticon of an identical design to Starscream was hovering above the crowd, his thrusters spewing blue fire with a muted roar.  
  
"Even if Cybertron is destroyed, why should this war continue?"  
  
"Four million years have passed. That's near half a megavorn. We have the chance now to make peace. Our war was meant to benefit our race, but it only led to robbing Cybertron of its former glory. I call myself a Decepticon with pride, but sometimes I feel we should have tried to make peace and save our planet. Why should we let that happen again on an innocent world...ARGH!"  
  
A single laser shot had struck the blue jet in the back, causing him to crumple to the ground unconscious. Starscream ran to the front of the temporary dais.  
  
"THUNDERCRACKER! BROTHER!"  
  
Thrust lowered the smoking barrel of his laser.  
  
"Thundercracker was a coward with no true Decepticon feeling. We are destined to be the rulers of Cybertron!"  
  
Megatron finally reached breaking point.  
  
"Thrust! You speak of Decepticon pride, yet you just shot a comrade-in- arms. You have sunk beneath even my contempt with that act of cowardliness," Megatron paused.  
  
"You and your brothers have never earned my grace. The three of you are cowards, backstabbers and fools. Yet I was willing to forgive for the slender amount of skill you possessed on the battlefield. But now, you have crossed the line. There is but one punishment for such treason, exile. Now go, before I consider a more permanent cure to this cancer of deceit you spread."  
  
"Exiled, no. I choose to go!" Thrust turned to the door, his two twins following him. He turned back. "And all true Decepticons here, follow me!"  
  
As Thrust strode between the sliding doors that the Wing Zero and Tallgeese flanked, he shot a look of disgust at the humans on top.  
  
"Organics. We are of a higher order you cannot hope to comprehend, and Megatron deigns to lower himself to your level..."  
  
Thrust felt the sudden shock of two cold barrels being prodded into his back. He slowly turned. Starscream stood behind him, along with a similar, if smaller robot coloured in purple and black. Both wore expressions of utter hatred and loathing, the muzzles of their laser rifles levelled at Thrust's cocky face.  
  
"Leave." Starscream said lowly, barely loud enough for anyone to hear. "Leave quietly, leave now."  
  
The second mech spoke up. His face was younger and less battle-hardened than many of the other transformer's present, but the tone of menace in his voice was almost tangible.  
  
"And never come back."  
  
Thrust slowly sneered.  
  
"Skywarp. You think a pup like you can take on someone like me." He winced as Starscream's null ray jabbed him in the chest.  
  
"My younger brother is more than a match for you coward. Yes, coward, a coward who sinks low enough to start threatening those smaller and weaker than him, and attacks behind the back of someone powerful enough to oppose him."  
  
A large blunt object tapped the back of Thrust's coned head. He spun again and found himself staring down the twin barrels of Wing Zero's buster rifle. Deep within the black pits, incandescent golden energy pulsed slowly. Thrust gulped and raised his optics. A small organic rode on the muzzle of the massive gun. It stood up, and spoke in a voice which despite it's feminine sound, carried a lot of strength.  
  
"I'm an advocate for peace, but you are such a loathsome piece of scum I'd take up arms against you any day."  
  
Thrust gulped.  
  
Skywarp fired a brief shot into the floor at Thrust's feet, causing the conehead to jump backwards.  
  
"Now get out."  
  
*  
  
Duo, Zechs and Noin watched this little repartee with more than little interest. When Relena effectively spat in Thrust's face, Noin looked at Zechs with a cocked eyebrow.  
  
"Wonder where she gets that spunk from?"  
  
"You obviously. You spent more time raising her than me, and I'm supposed to be her brother."  
  
"Oh come off it Zechs! You know she loves you."  
  
Duo just goggled. His opinion of Relena 'Peacecrap' Dorlain had just risen several points.  
  
*  
  
As Thrust effectively ran from the room, the massive Onslaught rose, powerful frame dominating those around him.  
  
"Thrust is a weakling. But I agree with what he preaches. Combatacons," he tipped his head, "and anyone else who sides with us, to me."  
  
With that Onslaught led his four minions from the hall. Swindle hung behind briefly, only to be picked up by the scruff of the neck by Onslaught and dragged from the room.  
  
Thrust's two twins Dirge and Ramjet followed in the group's wake, followed by a massive grey machine whose transform none of the humans could place.  
  
"Astrotrain" Megatron murmured.  
  
Three of Motormaster's four followers shuffled nervously, and began to edge back. Motormaster gazed on them with growing contempt. Megatron viewed them with equal distaste.  
  
"If you feel you must go, then go, but by doing you ensure your own destruction. As soon as you leave this room you estrange yourselves from our forces, and in doing become our enemies. And tell that fool Onslaught, that if he makes any moves against the inhabitants of this planet, he does so on pain of death."  
  
Assured that Motormaster was not going to cleave them in two with the broken blade he still wielded, the three Stunticons; Drag Strip, Breakdown and Road Block turned to leave. Motormaster was muttering rapidly beneath his breath at this point, and the remaining Stunticon was watching him warily.  
  
"TRAITORS!" Motormaster's eyes suddenly flew open, red fire blazing in them like Hades. He spun, and brought the sword, it's blade flashing, down on the back of Drag Strip.  
  
'CLANG!'  
  
Motormaster's sword was cut short in its fall by another mighty blade, one that proudly bore the sigil of the Autobots. Drag Strip cringed under the crossed swords. Motormaster looked along the second weapon's length into the red optics of Grimlock, which somehow carried a look of sympathy for the former leader of the Stunticon attack team, the one whose first words had been to pledge eternal loyalty to his leader.  
  
"You betrayed by own men. Me feel your pain. But Gun-bot," he looked at Megatron, "say let car-bots go. So let go. Get traitors other day. Me help."  
  
Motormaster stared in surprise at the fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex, before smiling grimly, and proffering his hand.  
  
"Ally?"  
  
Grimlock reached out and took the proffered palm.  
  
"Brother."  
  
As two skilled swordsmen and former enemies shook to seal their alliance, Megatron and Prime smiled. By their simple action, the two had formed the first bond between the Autobots and Decepticons. As Drag Strip scampered away, Grimlock turned to Motormaster, a wry look in his optics.  
  
"On that day, me get yellow car-con. Me save his life, me take his life."  
  
Motormaster smiled slowly, and then began to chuckle, which burst into a full-hearted belly laugh.  
  
"So be it. Drag Strip is yours Grimlock. When you do get him, give him one for me."  
  
Grimlock slapped him hard on the back like an old drinking buddy and began to join in with the laugh.  
  
As the surrounding transformers followed the two's example by bursting into laughter, a great weight seemed lifted from everyone's shoulders. In the levity, Relena clutched Heero's hand tightly, and was surprised when he returned the small embrace.  
  
*  
  
Megatron shared a grin with Prime as the laughter faded before turning to the two remaining Stunticons.  
  
"Motormaster and Dead End," he boomed, "your loyalty to the Decepticons is well noted and will be well rewarded." he slowly viewed his remaining forces, his eyes pausing briefly on a team of purple and lime green machines, who were distinguished by the pieces of construction equipment protruding from their bodies.  
  
"As will you and your Constructicons Scrapper."  
  
He turned again, nodding to a beige and purple machine who had a tank barrel sticking up from his back. He nodded.  
  
"Blitzwing."  
  
He flicked over Starscream and his two brothers, Skywarp supporting a limping Thundercracker, and came to rest on a imposing indigo machine, who had not said a single word and barely moved during the whole meeting. A group of smaller robots, including one that resembled a panther were gathered round his legs, and a mechanical bird rested on each shoulder.  
  
"Soundwave!" Megatron chortled. "You haven't changed, still the strong silent one."  
  
The one called Soundwave nodded slightly, showing less emotion than a rock, yet to Megatron this simple gesture meant a lot.  
  
"And your cassettes. He nodded at the two humanoid robots. "Rumble, Frenzy." The two birds who each crowed in return to him, "Laserbeak, Buzzsaw," and finally the panther.  
  
"Ravage, you devious thing."  
  
The cat called Ravage purred to his leader.  
  
*  
  
Optimus had been surveying his own troops, but rather than regard them with Megatron's aloof pride, he was down among them, sharing comments and old jokes. A stout red Autobot who looked about as immoveable and steadfast as a rhino slapped him hard on the back before addressing him in a deep southern twang.  
  
"Prayme yah' old glitch. You had me thinkin' that you'd gone over to the Decipti-creeps for a nano-klik there."  
  
Prime chortled.  
  
"Those Decepti-creeps are our allies now Ironhide!"  
  
After making his way through his assembled ranks Prime finally approached the Gundam pilots and the other humans.  
  
"I take it you will need to speak to myself and Megatron as representatives of your planet."  
  
The humans looked at each other from the shoulders of their respective mobile suits before nodding. Relena stepped forward. Prime bowed respectfully to her.  
  
"Vice Foreign Minister Dorlain, it is a pleasure."  
  
She took a step back in surprise.  
  
"You know my name."  
  
"A full account of your recent human history has been downloaded into my memory banks. Nearly all of you gathered here played a prominent role in the Eve wars and Barton rebellion." He gestured at the humans.  
  
*  
  
After some prompting, Relena, Lady Une and Quatre were selected as ambassadors to the earth and went off with Prime. Howard and Latta went off to help tend to Thundercracker's injuries, as they had more knowledge of the transformer's new bodies than the Autobot and Decepticon medics. While Zechs and Noin went off to a quiet corner to talk, the four pilots gathered together on Wing Zero's left shoulder to chat. Duo finally popped the question that everyone had been dying to ask.  
  
"So, what happens next?"  
  
Heero looked around, before sitting down cross-legged.  
  
"Their world's been destroyed, one of their spacecraft is broken and the other is unaccounted for, and they have no place to go. My idea is that Relena will grant them asylum in the Earthsphere."  
  
"The question is, will Relena try and hide this from the public eye. We've finally achieved peace, but it's a fragile one. Something as revolutionary as this could shatter that. The best means would be to try and find them an area to settle that is either sparsely populated or uninhabited. This place might well do for know but eventually possible survivors of their race are likely to contact them and come to Earth. A larger area will be needed then for them to live in."  
  
Everyone turned to Trowa, who had startled everyone with the sudden speech. It was only on rare occasions that 'clown who never smiled' lapsed into such fluent speech.  
  
Wufei stroked his chin.  
  
"Another problem is that many of them are like us. The Autobot's have fought for peace, but the Decepticons were built for the sole purpose of war, like we have trained all our lives to fight. What will they do if they have nothing to fight for, and no planet to defend?"  
  
Duo nodded slightly.  
  
"And then there's this splinter faction conundrum." He leant back and stared at the ceiling, "it's going to be near impossible to keep this under wraps if there's a group of warmongering robots on the loose..."  
  
*  
  
Ten miles north from Mt. St. Hillary traffic was moving slowly along the interstate. Hilde Schbeiker impatiently hummed jazz to herself as her motorbike crept south at barely twenty-five.  
  
'Why on earth did Duo demand I take the day off work and drive out to some backwater mine. He better have a good reason for this or...'  
  
Her thoughts were cut short by the sound of jets and she looked up only to see a group of aircraft fly overhead. She couldn't recognise recognize them but even by AC198 standards they looked futuristic. At the same time as those four streaked overhead the sound of massive vehicle engines began to build ahead of her as well as an odd methodical beat, and the sound of -steam?  
  
Just as the noise rose to an unbearable pitch, she saw a small black object fall from one of the aircraft that was passing back overhead again. She had just enough time to think 'Oh my God', before a massive roaring filled her ears and she was blinded by a massive flash of light...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED.  
  
A/N. (Ain't I a stinker? Hehehehehe.)  
  
CHAPTER NOTES.  
  
I'm keeping this short (ish), but I though there was an important detail that needed to be known in this chapter and 'Minds of Darkness'.  
  
I've taken to using Cybertronian units of time at periods. The values of each are given below.  
  
KLIK Cybertronian second. Equal to 4.98 earth seconds.  
  
NANO-KILK One tenth of a Klik. Equal to 0.498 earth seconds  
  
CYCLE Cybertronian minute. Equal to ten kliks or 49.8 earth seconds.  
  
BREEM Value for ten Cybertronian minutes or ten cycles. Equal to 8.3 Earth minutes.  
  
MEGACYCLE Cybertronian hour. Equal to 10 breems or 83 Earth minutes.  
  
ASTROCYCLE Cybertronian day or time taken for the planet to complete a whole rotation. Equal to 99.75 Megacycles or approx. 5.75 Earth days (138 hours)  
  
QUINTUN Cybertronian week. Equal to five Astocycles or approx. 28.75 Earth days.  
  
DUIN Cybertronian month. Equal to five Quintuns or approx. 143.75 Earth days.  
  
VORN Cybertronian year or time taken for a full orbit of it's sun. Equal to 21 Duins or approx. 8.27 Eath years (3018.75 Earth days)  
  
Basically, Cybertron has a 99 and three quarter hour day, a five-day week, a twenty-five day month and a 525 day year, or twenty one months.  
  
One Cybertron decade is an ORN, one century is a DECAVORN, a millennium a KILOVORN, and 1,000,000 years is a MEGAVORN.  
  
Hope this clears it up for you. Or maybe I just confused you further. EEP! Cannon worshipers, RUN! 


	12. First Strike

DISCLAIMER: Transformers is the property of Hasbro, and GW is the property of Sunrise. This work is purely for entertainment and no monetary profit is being made by it.  
  
A/N: Well, I'm glad to see that my last update was received so warmly, so I hope to hear your feedback on this one as well. Also, I'm throwing a bit of a bombshell at you, to build up to the next epic battle.  
  
Now then, while tallying the awakened transformers, I made a few mistakes. One, there is no Stunticon called Road Block. However, there is one called Wildrider, and it is he who leaves with Onslaught's rebels, along with Drag Strip and Breakdown, leaving behind Dead End and their leader Motormaster.  
  
Also, there is a decepticon sub-group not mentioned in the roll call in the last chapter. These are the Reflector clones. They are present however, and I give a summary at the bottom naming them.  
  
Now read on and enjoy!  
  
PS. This chapter would not have been updated so soon if not for my school secretary, Ms. Liz Sargeant, who gave me the key to the computer room so I could work on this at lunch-break. Thanks, Miss.  
  
CHAPTER 10. FIRST STRIKE  
  
"Ms. Dorlain. I'm not used to talking to organics let alone negotiating with them, but I'm sure that several questions are passing through your mind."  
  
Relena nodded.  
  
"Yes Commander Megatron. Given the fact that you are leader of a military force I am sure you appreciate the value of reliable information but this is one case in which I have no experience."  
  
Prime chuckled slightly.  
  
"I'm sure negotiating with sentient robots from beyond your galaxy is not something taught at the St. Gabrielle's academy in Asia," she looked at him, eyebrow raised, "an compacted biography of your life is included in the Encyclopaedia Brittanica. Very informative."  
  
Relena chuckled self-consciously. Prime grinned slightly (not that anyone could see behind his mask) and spoke up.  
  
"However, I must thank you for your generous offer of asylum. I'm sure all the transformers return that feeling."  
  
Quatre stood and faced Optimus Prime.  
  
"Optimus Prime sir. I take it that during this time the transformers will need a lot of material resources to build a society. As CEO of the Winner Corporation I offer you any material, construction and technological aids you require from us."  
  
If Prime were human, he would most likely be crying from the show of kindness.  
  
*  
  
Megatron's electronic brain idly ticked over as he contemplated the small human in front of him. Despite never actually meeting her, what he had learned from the human data tracks had instilled a grudging respect for this 'Lady Une', a reputed military genius. He spoke up.  
  
"If your world's policy is 'total pacifism', how come you condoned the rebuilding of these Gundams after they were destroyed in 197?"  
  
Une turned, a querying look in her eyes, which hardened into a cold determination.  
  
"Because we lost hope in mankind." Une sighed and sat down on Megatron's outurned palm.  
  
"None of us really subscribe to total pacifism anymore, not even Relena...We believe in peace, but we've had to accept that weapons are necessary to hold that peace, that the sword could also be a shield." She sank back into silence.  
  
"I hate to say it, but the fact that we possess weapons like the Gundams has probably caused more good than evil." Relena's voice cut into the conversation. The two leaders of armies turned to her. "I lost faith in my father's ideals the day my country fell despite our peaceful nature. If we had not had assistance from a small army of mobile suits, casualties would have run into the thousands." She turned to view the silent, brooding mechs.  
  
"The Gundams have a mystique about them, near legend. That myth has held this peace together, because no-one wants to challenge the indestructible Gundams and their immortal pilots." She chuckled slightly. "Don't tell Duo I said that immortal bit, or it'll send him on an even bigger ego trip than the one he's riding now."  
  
Megatron had been nodding silently to Relena's comments.  
  
"The Decepticons were originally Cybertron's guardians, set up to protect the planet from hostile worlds and itself. It was my own greed and avarice that..."  
  
A sudden high-pitched whining echoed silently within Megatron's cranium. Simultaneously he and Prime pressed a hand to their temples. Each transformer in the hall followed suit as a short coded message passed between them.  
  
FROM: ONS@BRUTE.CON TO: OPEN BROADCAST  
  
HEAR, ME TRANSFORMERS, SEE MY WRATH, AND FEEL THE FEAR OF YOUR IMPENDING DOOM.  
  
The flow of data ceased and Prime and Megatron stood up, facing each other.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
The uneasy silence was broken as each transformer reached for their weapons. Prime knelt down in front of the three humans.  
  
"It's started."  
  
*  
  
Hilde thought she was in hell.  
  
The massive explosion from the mysterious jet's bomb had thrown her off her bike. She had landed on the side of the interstate and crawled under a massive overturned tanker. Other than that mean sanctuary she had nowhere else to go. She was trapped on a flyover with a sheer drop on either side, while havoc raged around here.  
  
As soon as she had dragged herself under she had seen a sight she had considered impossible.  
  
A railroad engine was driving up the interstate!  
  
Flying a white banner of steam from it's smokestack and spewing fire and smoke like a devil from some cursed realm, the massive purple machine tore along the centre lane of traffic, ploughing through cars and vehicles with reckless abandon, crunching the tarmac beneath it's cast iron wheels, skewering vehicles on it's wicked cowcatcher and throwing their passengers aside, it's whistle blowing a chilling note that was like a scream from hell, bringing death and destruction.  
  
Beside the massive beast three cars sped recklessly, slamming and sideswiped oncoming cars that swerved to avoid, throwing them aside with ease. As Hilde watched in horror a yellow Formula 1. car broke loose of the pack, drove up the ramp of an empty vehicle transporter flew out into open air! Wheels spinning, it came down on top of an overturned camper van  
  
BOOM!  
  
With a squeal of rubber the viper-like machine tore out of the flaming wreckage. As it peeled past Hilde she blinked in disbelief...  
  
...the car was unmanned, and completely undented!  
  
A sudden scream of metal drew her attention back to the locomotive, and she watched in horror as the cowcatcher picked up a yellow school bus before the massive machine's wake cast it aside, the bus flying through the air before landing on it's bonnet, crumpling and rolling into a ball of twisted steel. Children's hands stuck through the shattered windows, waving, screaming for help. She looked back down the interstate, and her eyes widened in fear.  
  
Not a quarter of a mile the road a trio of military vehicles was proceeding slowly in the wake of the massive locomotive, firing off shots at cars that had managed to escape, crushing them beneath their massive wheels or treads. Their random shots were not killing many, but the terror the spread more than compensated. In their wake, a gigantic purple helicopter hovered, it's mighty propeller blades creating a swirling vortex that sucked cars into the air before dropping them beside the roadside...  
  
...the bus of kids was right in their path!  
  
Hilde steeled herself and hobbled towards the yellow bus, as others ran over and began hauling screaming children from the broken windows, herding them towards the edge of the interstate, lowering them over or dropping them into the river beneath..  
  
Hilde pulled aside twisted scraps of metal before she came to the door, jammed shut. After pulling on it for a few seconds, she grabbed her backpack and ferreted through it, before finding a small metal rod, which she drew out into a long handle. She briefly contemplated the switch on the grip.//Duo would kill me if he knew I used this//. Flicking the switch, her face was lit up by the eerie green glow of the portable beam weapon he had asked she bring with her. Twirling the handheld beam scythe in her fingers for a second, she brought it down on the door with a resounding CRACK!  
  
As she began to cut streams of molten metal dribbled down the door's surface as the plasma contained within the beam field sparked and gleamed. Suddenly, the door crumpled and folded downwards as it collapsed from it's frame.  
  
Inside the dead body of the bus' driver lay on the wheel, a massive shard of glass piercing his forehead. Children lay in the aisle, none dead, but many injured, all screaming. Some were trapped underneath or behind twisted chairs. Hilde set to cutting them loose as others fled in to help pull the injured free.  
  
*  
  
Brawl the tracked tank slowly rotated his turret, hunting for fresh prey, and smirked. Directly ahead lay a large yellow earthen vehicle, many organics streaming around it. He chuckled in maniacal glee. Perfect.  
  
All of the kids had been pulled to safety. Hilde was about to duck out of the bus herself, the roar of the attacking weapon's engines had built to an almost deafening pitch. She turned to go.  
  
"Help."  
  
A thin cry echoed from the back of the bus. She turned. A small face peered from behind a pile of chairs that had collected at the rear of the bus. Hilde turned to look at the door, then to the small face.  
  
"Oh the Heck with it!"  
  
Quickly she ran to the rear of the bus and pulled the young girl free. Through the shattered rear window she could se a green tank with a trio of menacing guns mounted on it take aim.  
  
"Crap!"  
  
"Heheheh!" Brawl made a quick decision, such a weak target was not worth wasting an artillery shell on. With that, his sonic impulse cannons rose up out of his turret, whining alarmingly. Slowly, he began turning the pitch of the waves up, to high for a human to perceive, but sweet music to his audios.  
  
Hilde grabbed the girl in her arms and darted for the door as around her, the intact window panes began to vibrate, before shattering into crystalline shards. Suddenly, the metal walls began to crunch and contract like a metal hand was grabbing them, as Brawl's megapitch waves tore apart their very molecules.  
  
As Hilde pulled herself from the door, a massive explosion lifted her off her feet as the bus's fuel tank ruptured. Screaming, she shielded the young girl as the blast threw them both over the rim of the interstate, tumbling towards the river below.  
  
"Oh Shit!"  
  
*  
  
1 WEEK LATER.  
  
BLIP!.BLIP!.BLIP!  
  
'Why'd you have to be a hero again Hilde, you fool.'  
  
Hilde's face was calm and placid as she lay unconscious in the hospital ward. Beside her, an IV drip fed nutrients into her arm and a monitor recorded her slow, but constant heartbeat.  
  
Duo had maintained a silent vigil at Hilde's bedside in the Washington State Hospital in Seattle for the past week, rushing to her side as soon as a doctor had called the only stored name in the mobile phone of the young woman who'd been found at the ruined interstate.  
  
Outside Trowa and Quatre maintained an equally dedicated vigil. Quatre was of the opinion that had they not been here to remind him to eat, sleep and drink he would have been in one of the wards himself.  
  
Trowa looked up from 'War and Peace', which he was still working on and made silent eye contact with Quatre.  
  
'Why's he doing this?'  
  
Quatre got the gist of what Trowa was implying.  
  
"Hilde's the one thing Duo cared for more than Deathscythe. He's still smarting over the loss of his Gundam. If he lost Hilde now..." He left the sentence hanging  
  
A tall lanky doctor stepped into the reception and approached the two.  
  
"He still in there?"  
  
The pair nodded quietly. Quatre spoke up.  
  
"Do you have the results of the tests Dr. Hildreth?"  
  
Hildreth nodded slowly. He seemed hesitant.  
  
"Well?"  
  
The three looked up. Duo was leaning in the doorway. Hildreth cleared his throat.  
  
"Well, Ms. Schbeiker seems to have struck her head on a rock after falling from the flyover into the river. This has not produced any cranial damage but it has caused a fluid build up inside her head which is exerting pressure on the brain, the result of which is this coma. This explains why she did not pass out until some minutes after she had dragged herself and the young girl she saved from the water."  
  
"So what does this mean?" Duo was being disturbingly calm.  
  
"There is a surgical procedure we can implement to release the pressure on the brain. It will involve removing part of her skull to remove the fluid sac. It should be quite simple but there's...a complication," he sighed. "The build-up is in very close proximity to one of her major arteries. If that burst during the operation it would be almost certainly fatal."  
  
Duo slowly examined his fingernails.  
  
"What's the odds of that happening?"  
  
"She has a 50/50 chance of surviving."  
  
Duo clenched his fist.  
  
"If there's a chance she'll live, I want you to take it."  
  
With that, Duo strode off down the corridor away from them, an odd determination in his stride. Quatre and Trowa shared a glance, before setting aside their books and following him.  
  
*  
  
Onslaught slowly scanned the terrain using the zoom function on his optic circuits. He smiled. Few recognised the technical skills he and his team possessed. It had been a simple task to obtain the components they needed to build a satellite intercept device to tap these human's primitive communications systems. From there, it had been even simpler to locate a suitable source of the warriors he needed to boost his small forces. He spotted the target.  
  
"Excellent! Astrotrain. Prepare to strike."  
  
*  
  
Duo strode out of the hospital ignoring the other two pilots following them. He approached a massive red tractor trailer parked on the opposite side of the parking lot and swung himself into the cab. Trowa and Quatre scrambled in after him.  
  
Without Duo even touching the controls, the mighty diesel engine roared into action and the truck pulled out of the hospital onto the highway, gliding along in the pre-dawn light.  
  
*  
  
The train thundered across the Californian plains towards Sacramento, a massive convoy of mobile suits due for scrapping. Despite the loss of faith in total pacifism, the ESUN government understood the need to cut down on as many weapons as possible. In the giant locomotive cab the engineer turned to his fireman.  
  
"How long to go now?"  
  
The fireman tapped a railway map.  
  
"We passed Hill Valley ten minutes ago, so about an hour to cover the seventy miles to Sacramento, and then not long to the New Edwards base" he leant back in his seat. "God I need sleep. We've been driving since yesterday, all the way from Montana. We're practically living off coffee."  
  
"What's the point?"  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"What's the point of taking newly built mobile suits for scrapping. They've never even had their reactors fired up, except for those four..."  
  
He trailed off. There was no need to elaborate further. Both knew that among their cargo were the four most deadly, and unique mobile suits the former OZ had ever built.  
  
As dawn broke over the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the train flicked past a single red light mounted upon a signal post.  
  
"Shit! We just passed a red light!"  
  
The engineer pulled back on the throttle levers and the train gradually slowed, coming to a halt in the middle of the desert with a great sigh of escaping air. As the first rays of dawn shone into the locomotive, the crew were temporarily blinded.  
  
They never saw what hit them.  
  
*  
  
As the red truck rolled along the highway Duo stared expressionlessly at the dashboard. A noble voice that the pilots had grown very accustomed to in the recent weeks rumbled through the cab.  
  
"Are your vocalisers malfunctioning?"  
  
Duo chuckled mirthlessly.  
  
"No Prime, we're fine. Just thinking."  
  
The Autobot commander's reply was innocent in the extreme.  
  
"Thinking about what?"  
  
Duo settled back, arms folded, face sinisterly lit in the half-light.  
  
"About what I'm going to do to Onslaught when I catch up to him."  
  
*  
  
Onslaught's appearance had a great deal of showmanship to it. Striding through the flaming pools of diesel fuel, Astrotrain in his wake, he appeared like a demon outcast from hell, Lucifer fallen from heaven's grace.  
  
A single volley of lasers had reduced the locomotive to scrap metal, distorted like some bizarre art sculpture. A twisted chassis still adorned the rails, wheels squeaking as it rolled slowly downhill, unhampered by brakes. Onslaught booted it off the track with a single contemptuous kick.  
  
"Astrotrain, take the strain."  
  
Astrotrain switched to his steam engine mode within seconds. As he linked up to the convoy of mobile suit carriers, his whistle echoed off the encroaching mountains that surrounded the plains.  
  
Onslaught watched with a touch of pride as the train began to pull ahead of him. The last four wagons were distinctly larger than the others and as they drew level to him, he jumped on. Ripping the folding roofs from their frames with a flex of his metal muscles, he surveyed the real prize.  
  
Four large mechs that, upright would have stood as high as him lay down in the wagons. Two gleamed scarlet, one sprouting a fearful design that inspired fear in even the powerful Combatacon, the other bearing a collection of strange spherical energy shields. One blue and white machine rested against the floor, elegantly designed head glinting in the light. The final mobile suit was imposing, if ugly, it's navy hands clutching a mighty weapon which would have made Onslaught drool were he organic. He chuckled to himself.  
  
"Megatron's era is past. It's time for a new Decepticon leader to assume command. One who will restore us to our former glory. Me."  
  
As Astrotrain sped faster and faster towards the horizon, Onslaught's laughter rang into the new dawn.  
  
*  
  
Optimus Prime pulled off the highway onto a narrow dirt tack which wound up into the hills. After passing numerous signs warning them that they were entering a restricted area they pulled into the St. Hillary mine complex. Much had changed. It was a hive of activity.  
  
Sally, Noin and Zechs were overseeing the loading of equipment and machinery onto trains for transhipment. Prime pulled up beside them and after the three pilots had jumped from him, transformed.  
  
"No matter how many times I see that, it never fails to impress me." Quatre muttered to Trowa as the three preventers strode over to them. Optimus Prime nodded and moved off towards a group of Autobots by the entry to the Ark.  
  
"How is she?" Sally's face showed concern as she approached Duo, who looked moody and sulky.  
  
"The doctors are going to operate on her."  
  
Sally nodded slowly. Trowa turned to Zechs.  
  
"Where's the others?"  
  
"Howard, Chris and their crew are down in the maintenance bay helping Ratchet and the Constructicons. Une's in her office. Heero's probably tinkering with Wing Zero, and Relena's AWOL..."  
  
"And Wufei?"  
  
"Last I saw he was with Skywarp in the woods."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Duelling."  
  
*  
  
Une rubbed her eyes and slugged down another cup of coffee. She winced in disgust at the cold, bitter taste, and turned back to the notes she had scribbled up. -------------------------------------------- DECEPTICONS  
  
Megatron,(1) Soundwave and cassettes (6) Seekers (3) Constructicons (5) Stunticons (2) Others (4)  
  
Total:-21  
  
What to do with them? -------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Damn it."  
  
"You allright?"  
  
"Huh!"  
  
Une looked up to see Trowa leaning against the door to her office inside the ark. She grinned wearily.  
  
"Yeah, just trying to work out how the transformers can help us."  
  
"Your more concerned about the decepticons aren't you?"  
  
"Pretty much. The Autobots are willing to lay down their arms, but the decepticons actually are weapons. They could pose a threat to our peace."  
  
"Have you considered incorporating them into the Preventers."  
  
"Pardon."  
  
"You were concerned that the preventers don't possess enough weapons to hold off a second rebellion like the Barton invasion. Some of the decepticons, like Starscream and his brothers, could help in that regard."  
  
"What about the others?"  
  
"Each specialise in different functions. Soundwave and his cassettes are like Duo, they excel in stealth and espionage. Could even possibly teach those skills to new recruits. The constructicons aren't even warriors by design, they're builders. Skills like theirs in design and execution of advanced plans could really boost construction of colonies like X18999 and aid post-war redevelopment on Earth." He paused. "Newport city in Relena's Sanc Kingdom is still in ruins because we can't get a coherent plan together to rebuild it. It's the same with Brussels, and the spaceports in Dover and Singapore to name a few."  
  
"And Megatron?"  
  
"I suspect Megatron's just as tired of war as we are. I believe he would lay down the reigns of command and play the role of an ambassador to the transformers while leaving the actual leadership of the militia to Starscream."  
  
Une grinned.  
  
"Thanks Trowa."  
  
*  
  
At this point the decepticon in question was in his own quarters, pouring over a large-scale map of the Pacific that was being projected onto the bulkhead.. A sudden chime from behind him caught his attention. Not turning, he called out for the guest he was expecting to enter. The door slid open silently, and a forbidding figure entered. Megatron finally turned and nodded.  
  
"Soundwave."  
  
"Commander Megatron."  
  
Chuckling, Megatron threw back his head.  
  
"Soundwave, we've been friends long enough to drop the titles. I don't address you as communications officer each time I see you."  
  
Soundwave made no reply, but his ruby visor glowed brightly for a microsecond, which Megatron interpreted as a laugh. Not even those Gundam pilots were as expressionless and seemingly unemotional as Soundwave. Megatron's voice suddenly lost any trace of laughter and turned serious.  
  
"Have you located it?"  
  
"Negative."  
  
"Curse the pit!"  
  
Megatron slammed his fist down on the table in rage, and the metal surface buckled under the assault. Silently, Soundwave moved to his flank and they considered the chart in detail. Megatron picked up a small laser pointer and gestured at the wall.  
  
"We're located here, Mt. St. Hillary," his pointer circled an area in northern Oregon, before shifting north slightly. "Since the attack on the humans, we've had no contact whatsoever with Onslaught, so he must be working from a hidden base. There are no locations within 200 kilometres from here that are suitable for a transformer army to work from, nor have there been any sightings of those traitors.  
  
Soundwave's monotone voice spoke up and the small cannon on his right shoulder projected a beam similar to Megatron's pointer.  
  
"Given that during our battle in space only yourself, myself, the seekers and the camera drones boarded the ark, then the remainder of our forces, held in statis within our vessel must have landed on Earth in a position suitable for Adam Rook to retrieve them. Calculation reveals that their trajectory after the two ships parted would have placed them in an area of approximately 100,000 square kilometres due east of this location." Soundwave's projector highlighted the area. It formed a square 100 kilometres a side, some fifty kilometres east of the ark.  
  
"Can you refine that location further."  
  
"Negative. Rook could have homed in on the location using the residual energy from the ion drive as a beacon and the equipment he stipped out of the ark as a tracer. Onslaught followed the beacon the ship puts out on the Deceptcion frequency and deactivated it as soon as he arrived. Neither option is available to us."  
  
Megatron leant back in his recharge couch.  
  
"Would it be possible for him to reactivate our flagship?"  
  
"Energon reserves would be drained, but even with extensive damage to the exostucture the ion drive core should be intact and functional."  
  
"The weapons."  
  
"If an energy source could be located, they should function at 100% power."  
  
Megatron nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"Ideally Soundwave I'd like you and your cassettes to survey this area and pin down Onslaught's location. Not yet though. As my advisor you're priceless during this period. Give it an astrocycle, then I can let you go."  
  
"As you command Megatron."  
  
*  
  
Trowa stepped out of Une's office, actually a Portacabin and shielded his eyes against the glare of the golden metal the ark was cast from.  
  
Since the preventers were planning to spend a massive amount of time at the ark, some of the Autobot's had helped drag a few portacabins in fitted with a few human essentials, along with one or two luxuries. Currently the chamber had a few caravans fitted with beds, two portacabin offices, and a third set out as a gymnasium. Unable to break from their strict wartime regime, several of the Gundam boys insisted on a regular period of exercise a day. Trowa wandered into this impromptu facility, expecting to see Wufei or Heero lifting some weights. His one visible eyebrow arched in surprise.  
  
There was someone lifting weights inside the small cabin, but it wasn't one of the boys.  
  
"Relena?"  
  
Relena paused from her weightlifting and sat up. Pulling a towel from a rack she wiped some sweat from her forehead. Trowa noticed in surprise that for the first time since he had met her she was not wearing formal attire. She was wearing a pair of track suit bottoms and a tank top over a sports bra. She took a few deep breaths.  
  
"Trowa."  
  
"I didn't know you did weights."  
  
"Not many do. After the Barton rebellion I started working out when I found I couldn't even hold up Heero when he collapsed in my arms, and you boys are so thin and light I should have. Since then I've been trying to get at least twenty minutes a day on some kind of physical exercise."  
  
Trowa looked at her and noticed with surprise that her thin arms showed some signs of tightly packed muscle. A faint six-pack was also beginning to appear on her abdomen. He nodded in approval.  
  
"What kind of exercise do you do?"  
  
"Weightlifting, jogging. I've even started a bit of boxing on a dumbbell."  
  
Trowa gave her his usual slight smirk.  
  
"Boxing. Doesn't that go a bit against your beliefs of 'total pacifism'."  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"It helps. I'm such a public figure lately that I've become a target for several organisations. I need to know how to defend myself. And you know as well as I do now that total pacifism can't work"  
  
He held up his right hand, palm out, fingers together.  
  
"Hit me."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Punch my hand. Show me how good you are."  
  
Relena looked surprised but balled up her fist and rammed it into Trowa's upraised palm as hard as she could. To her utter amazement, he winced. Clutching his wrist he groaned and nodded.  
  
"Not bad...ow!"  
  
Slightly embarrassed she grinned a bit and shrugged.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
*  
  
Deep inside the Ark was an awe-inspiring sight. The maintenance bay that the transformers were found in, where Adam Rook's engineers had obviously left them three centuries ago, was being stripped down and rebuilt. Equipment designed for maintaining and construction mobile suits was being brought in off the Genesis and reassembled underground.  
  
The basic concept was that while the Autobot's and Decepticons were constructing themselves a new home, a base would be needed where necessary equipment could be manufactured and taken care of. The Ark was perfect for this purpose.  
  
Two Autobot engineers, Wheeljack and Ratchet, were preparing detailed plans for modifying the human equipment to maintain transformer bodies and manufacture cybertronian materials and technologies. Helping them in actually carrying out these modifications were the Decepticon Constructicons. These select group were all experts in some form of engineering as together it was rumoured could built almost anything out of almost nothing. Along with them on the construction floor was the engineers from the Genesis, currently berthed in the naval shipyard at Puget in Seattle.  
  
The Constructicons, leaded by the bulldozer Scrapper were currently heaving and carrying plant around, while human engineers clambered over the machines, tinkering, explaining their function to the transformers. Elsewhere, sparks flew as transformer machinery was augmented by mankind's technology. It was like the mobile suit bay of the Genesis, on an even grander scale.  
  
Lording over this realm was Howard on a high gantry, welding sparks reflecting of his sunglasses, a wry grin on his face. As Latta walked up to him, he gestured widely.  
  
"It's a whole new world!"  
  
* 1 WEEK LATER  
  
Elsewhere, Onslaught was lording over a similar view. He stood on dais in the centre of a room which formed a perfect circle, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.  
  
The room was dully lit, but in the half-dark he could make out the important details. From his dais ten massive tables, tilted like in a operating theatre, spread out like spokes from a hub. Further tables lined the outer wall of the chamber, radiating inwards. Above each table a complex piece of machinery hung from the roof. Each unit consisted of a central processor and hydraulics unit, from which four mechanical arms spread out, each studded with motors and cooling plant. On the tip of each arm was mounted a multi-purpose tool set, which along with standard cutting and welding tools, screwdrivers, spanners and soldering irons, boasted recharge sockets, computer uplinks and devices a human mechanic could only begin to guess at. Each of the complex units were interlinked with massive cables and tubing. Beneath the main unit where the arms could reach a conveyor belt sat, running from holes in the wall to each set of arms. Each conveyor was loaded with components Onslaught had stolen from the humans or had Swindle barter for over the past few weeks.  
  
Despite the advanced loom of the room, it was in some disarray. The walls gleamed a dull red, giving the chamber a slightly hellish appearance. Wires were corroded or hung in bundles from the bulkheads and roof, burst pipes had been inexpertly botched back together. A massive strut that supported the roof had collapsed across the central dais, crushing two tables. Despite the wear and tear, the room was mainly sound. The tables were cleaned, the machine arms hummed and glowed faintly, primed and waiting for action. Beside each table, small computer terminals glowed faint blue, programming flickering across the screens. Onslaught rubbed his hands together.  
  
'It's time to begin.'  
  
On each of the twenty three working tables lay a human mobile suit. Onslaught ran his hands over the superstructure of the nearest one, a Leo. It was simple, blocky and laughably primitive, if surprisingly powerful. With a little modification, they would be excellent troops for his new army. He slowly looked round the room, ticking off the mobile suits with the list in his head. Twenty three drones about to be prepared, twenty- seven waiting. Fifteen Leos, fifteen Aires. These would form his central corps.  
  
After these came the elite units he was going to reserve for harder battles. The ten Taurus suits and remaining five Virgos and five Serpents would form a spectacular strike force. Those foolish Autobots and the traitors would never know what hit them. He slowly caressed the massive shoulder of a Virgo lying beside him, the planetary shields tingling slightly under his metal paw.  
  
These machines would be an equal match for most transformer, they were almost as powerful as these 'Gundams' the organics piloted. What's more, the conversion would be easy. All of these machines had the ability to run independently of pilots, and these powerful Virgos had no cockpit. All they needed was transformer intelligence, not the foolishly weak AI programmes the humans had developed. He was not going to install laser sparks in these fifty suits though. The most loyal army is an emotionless one. His new army of Deceptidrones would be intelligent, powerful, but lifeless drones, incapable of independent thought.  
  
'However,' he looked towards the final four tables, each occupied by one of the massive suits he had found in the rear of the train. These, he felt, would be an exception. The other drones were cannon fodder and pretty easy to replace, but machines this unique could not be wasted. He would bring these ones to life, and had already devised suitable designs for their laser cores, which would shape their new personalities, based on the brain scans of the elite humans who had piloted them, still stored in the primitive memory banks. All they needed was some modification, and his new army, would have the perfect commanders.  
  
"Very well."  
  
He leant forward to the central console on his dais, and pressed a single red button. With a hum, the machinery came to life, and the process of converting the human mobile suits began.  
  
"Lord, what fools these mortals be. The most powerful weapons of their age, destroyed in what they called 'the final battle', and they rebuild them, only to send them for scrapping, and then they deliver them, RIGHT INTO MY HANDS! AHAHAHAHAHA!"  
  
As sparks flew and robotic arms danced with electrical fire, Onslaught began to cackle maniacally, a harsh guttural sound that echoed throughout the corridors of his new base, chilling to the core the few Decepticons who were loyal to him.  
  
For no-one could escape from the most powerful Decepticon warship in history, the vessel which had shot down the ark itself. No-one could escape...  
  
...from the Nemesis.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N SO! WHAT DO YOU THINK? Creative? Inspired? A hallmark in fanfic? Or the drunk ramblings of a pissed teenager? (most likely)  
  
Well I promised to Gundam Wing fans that I'd give a rundown on the various decepticon sub groups. Here you are:-  
  
SEEKERS: The air force of the Decepticon military. All based around a similar design with many numbers (most likely thousands, all configured for flight and air to air/ground combat). There are actually two main seeker squadrons.  
  
Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp compromise the cream of the Seekers, possessing the same F-15E transform but with varied colour schemes and customised abilities. Starscream possesses his 'null ray', Thundercracker can generate massive sonic booms at will and Skywarp can teleport up to a range of 2.5 miles.  
  
Below them, are the 'coneheads', Dirge, Thrust and Ramjet. These all have more unconventional designs, with the basic F-15E blueprint modified to incorporate delta wings (Ramjet), Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) engines (Thrust) and solid fuel boosters (Dirge). Not as skilled as Starscream and his brothers, these are still very powerful Decepticons.  
  
CONSTRUCTICONS: As one fansite put it, the closest thing the decepticons have to a workers union. Skilled labourers and powerful warriors, the constructicons were once autobot architects who designed and built many cities on cybertron. However, they were captured by Megatron who reprogrammed them to serve him. Loyal beyond belief to their new commander, the constructicons served as technical advisors and built many weapons.  
  
The constructicons have a final secret. The individual bodies of Scrapper, Hook, Longhaul, Bonecrusher, Mixmaster and Scavenger can combine to form a single massive robot-DEVASTATOR. Though slower and not as intelligent as his components, by sheer brute strength devastator can turn the course of a battle.  
  
STUNTICONS: Built by Megatron to 'rule the roads', the five stunticons all have vehicle modes. Motormaster is a 16 ton truck, Drag Strip is a race car, and their comrades, Dead End, Wildrider and Breakdown are high-performance sports cars.  
  
Like the constructicons, the Stunticons have a 'gestalt' form-Menasor. Though physically more powerful than Devastator, the two are equal in abilities because Menasor is unhinged. His five components bicker and argue, causing his mind to often become a confused mess.  
  
COMBATACONS: Scheming and backstabbing, the Combatacons were designed to form a strike force capable of attacking on both land and air. Onslaught, Brawn and Swindle wage war on the land, with their alternate forms of missile truck, tank and jeep while Blast Off the space shuttle and Vortex the helicopter decimate the skies.  
  
Rather predictably by now, they too have a gestalt. Bruticus is 'the perfect soldier' (though I bet that Heero would dispute this claim) according to Megatron. Capable of following orders to the letter, powerful and relatively intelligent, Bruticus can be summed up in Megatron's own words- "I like him, I wish I had a whole army of Bruticuses." Thank God he didn't.  
  
REFLECTOR Triplets are described as individual souls born into identical bodies. Reflector is the opposite-three bodies housing one soul-I'm not kidding! These guys are creepy-they always speak in unison, are identical clones of each other and only have a single transform between the three of them, a camera! This can vary in size from human proportions to that of a transformer, and it can only produce polariods!  
  
Perhaps useful for spying, the Reflector drones seem to be nothing other than cannon fodder, as there are dozens of robots identical to them back on Cybertron.  
  
TRIPLE CHANGERS  
  
The Triple Changers were an Elite group of transformers, but currently only two are represented in my story.  
  
Blitzwing has the alternate modes of both a tiger tank and a MiG fighter jet, hence the name. Only robot to have ever used football tactics as battle strategies, and make them work! Most memorable moment was in the Transformers movie when he was beat up by Kup, the Autobot's version of an OAP!  
  
Astrotrain is both a space shuttle and Japanese style steam engine (should suit the GW boys just fine). Although only a regular sized transformer, in both vehicle modes he is apparently big enough on the inside for the entire decepticon army to fit inside, and for Devastator to stand up in! Big, powerful, and judging by his behaviour in the movie, dumb as well.  
  
On ordered to transport the decepticons away from a battlefield, he goes from robot to train, allows the cons to board him, then takes off and transforms to a space-shuttle. Since this requires a barrel-roll, it's probably the reason many healthy decepticons were suddenly damaged next time we saw them, damaged sufficiently to be 'thrown overboard.'  
  
Then, after leaving earth's gravity, he complains his cargo's too heavy for him to make it home. In space, weight does not affect range. i.e. give it a shove and it'll go for ever until it runs into a planet. Seems to have been used for the decepticons to commute here, there and everywhere.  
  
DINOBOTS Prime decided the Autobots needed some brute force, so they came up with the Dinobots, who would have made the Incredible Hulk wet his pants. Bigger than any other conventional transformer and strong to boot, the designer of Grimlock, Slag, Swoop, Snarl and Sludge deserved to pat himself on the back- except he put in brains that were equal in size to actual dinosaurs i.e. walnuts! Probably not even that big.  
  
Hence Grimlock as leader often gave orders like this; "me Grimlock kick butt!" "me Grimlock want to munch metal" and "me Grimlock not nice dino, me bash brains". Yes, of course you do. Unfortunately, he was the most intelligent of the lot!  
  
Unlike other teams, the Dinobots didn't have a gestalt, but their effectiveness on the battlefield made up for that, other than Prime having to keep them turned off and locked in a cell at other times until their aggression levels were turned down!  
  
Oddest moment was when Grimlock took orders from a teenage human girl, and in the movie, due to Snarl the stegosaur's conspicuous absence for the whole time they were on screen for! Where was he? Reading a book? (As if!) On the potty (Selenium Salami not go good with Beryllium Baloney), or munching on the cast of Jurassic Park.  
  
AIRIELBOTS Created at the same time as the Stunticons to give the Autobot's air supremacy, this group of powerful aircraft are still young and inexperienced, despite being on par with the seekers regarding firepower. They also have a deep admiration for the decepticon jet's skills. Finally, their leader, a concord called Silverbolt (maybe he should be retired with the rest of them, he, he, he) has a few demons of his own, mainly a fear of heights (!).  
  
Their gestalt Superion is physically the weakest combiner, but his higher intelligence puts him on par with Devastator, though not Menasor and Bruticus.  
  
END TRANSMISSION.  
  
Hope these little notes made you laugh, and in the words of the new governor of California,  
  
"I'LL BE BACK!" 


	13. Clash of the Titans

CHAPTER 11. CLASH OF THE TITANS  
  
"And they brought them together in a place called Armageddon." Captain Ivan Putin, The Hunt for Red October  
  
THREE DAYS LATER  
  
The two energy swords, one purple, one green, clashed and rebounded off each other with a sharp crack and the scent of ozone. The purple assailent spun and lay into his adversary, a heafty blow the defender barely turned aside.  
  
Both grunted. The green warrior dropped to the ground and spun, knocking the legs out from underneath his foe, before bringing his blade sweeping down in a graceful arc. A bright flash of purple light blinded him briefly, and when he looked again, his target was gone.  
  
On a reflex he ducked and rolled backwards as the violet blade cut the air above his head. Quickly he thrust his weapon up and drove it into his opponent.  
  
"OW! Do you know how much that stings?"  
  
*  
  
Wufei dragged the Altron to its feet, and helped up Skywarp.  
  
"You're getting good, but I don't see the honour in using an unfair advantage on me."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"You teleported. There's no honour in exploiting an advantage."  
  
"Where does honour come into it? It's war"  
  
"I'm trying to teach you how to duel, and that is not merely a skill. You have to have the right mindset, and that's what I'm trying to drive into your cranium. Duelling should be an expression of the two combatant's respect for each other. Otherwise it becomes nothing more than a dirty game, with no honour to it."  
  
"You set a lot of store by honour don't you."  
  
"When we're backed into a corner our honour is all we have left. If this was real, we weren't using just the containment fields and the actual plasma, and you hadn't vanished you would have died a noble death, a warrior's death. Instead you played dirty, and you still 'died'. But because of your actions it was a filthy death."  
  
Skywarp shrugged. "I've always been taught that if you have an ability no- one else has, use it the best you can."  
  
"Yes but there's a time and place for anything. By doing it in a duel, a test of skill you disgrace both yourself and your opponent."  
  
Wufei breathed out slowly, before flipping down his cockpit and grinning at the Decepticon.  
  
"Other than that you've progressed at an amazing rate Skywarp. Just don't let your desire to win overcome your warrior's pride. A duel should not be merely about winning, but playing the game the best you can."  
  
*  
  
Noin leaned against a tree, watching the two combatants giving each other hell. She shook her head slowly. Wufei and Starscream had started duelling in their spare time to work out their stress, and Skywarp was impressed enough by the sight to ask for lessons with a pair of energy blades Howard had dragged up from somewhere. The concept of a teenager teaching a twenty million year old robot to swordfight was, well incredible. Had someone told she would see sights like these a few months ago she would never have believed them.  
  
A faint stirring of leaves behind her caught her attention. A blocky indigo transformer was slowly proceeding through the woods. Intrigued, she followed.  
  
*  
  
Two other observers watched from the viewpoint of a nearby rock formation as they danced around the trees, blades flashing and sparking with a speed and grace that would have put Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker to shame.  
  
Quatre shook his head. He admired Wufei's skill but he was not sure of what he was doing. Thundercracker noticed the blonde human on his intakes sudden silence and turned to him.  
  
"Impressive aren't they?"  
  
Quatre nodded slowly.  
  
"Yes, very impressive, if it wasn't wrong."  
  
Thundercracker's left optic rim lifted an-ever so slight amount. His deep voice had a tinge of a laugh in it.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
Quatre stared at him, a slight tinge of anger at being talked to condescendingly.  
  
"Skywarp's about my age relatively, and he has a chance to live in a peaceful world. Yet Wufei's teaching him how to fight harder and stronger than ever before. What purpose does that serve in a world at peace? It can lead to no good."  
  
Thundercracker rolled back, hand to his head, laughing. Quatre yelped and would have fallen into the intake if he hadn't grabbed the rim. Steadying himself he turned to the now quietly chuckling seeker.  
  
"There aren't many differences between you humans and us, but there is one big one. We are machines, and as such have a primary programme, which designates our purpose in life. You humans have no one directive, you choose for yourselves, and that's what's concerning you isn't it. Your worried Skywarp will be provoked into becoming a threat to peace."  
  
Quatre nodded.  
  
"Yes. Us Gundam pilots are like a cancer to this world. No matter how much we try to re-build our lives, we still have that desire to fight burning in us. I worry that one day that fire will be released on an innocent person or world."  
  
Thundercracker rubbed his chin, staring into oblivion.  
  
"Then you're voicing my own concerns. Us transformers all have a primary function embedded within us, and mine is to fight-as is Skywarp's."  
  
When Quatre made no response Thundercracker carried on.  
  
"I see no danger in Wufei's instruction. If anything it can only help. We Decepticons were built to fight, and that manifests in many of us as a desire to wage war. I myself see no point in war, but if Wufei's providing an outlet for Skywarp to vent his desire to battle, I can only approve. He also seems to be learning a degree of discipline in the process."  
  
Quatre paused, the draught flowing into Thundercracker's intakes ruffling his hair before he stirred.  
  
"If you don't believe in war, why did you fight for so long?"  
  
A long, meaningful paused followed before Thundercracker spoke up.  
  
"Because I was weak. I couldn't bring myself to believe in the Decepticon 'cause' when all I could see around me was pain and suffering and death. But I feared Megatron's wrath so much I could not bring myself to leave the organisation."  
  
A quiet peace fell over the pair as they contemplated themselves, while the Altron and Skywarp continued to express their philosophies in a more physical manner.  
  
*  
  
Trowa sat on the railing of the gantry watching the new facility in action. The human machines and transformer equipment had been merged together seamlessly, and the new plant was performing admirably. Each machine was running at full speed. One production line was producing thick sheets of cybertronian metals, others were producing components. On the far side of the massive bay was a complicated chemical facility that was inactive. Beside it one of the lime-green constructicons was apparently ranting at a human engineer. Intrigued, Trowa somersaulted of the railing and landed on the floor fifty feet below without a scratch. A few nearby transformers watched on impressed.  
  
As Trowa neared the two arguing figures their argument become audible.  
  
"I'm telling you that the amount of C is inversely proportional to that of H!"  
  
"And I'm telling you that it's opposite!"  
  
"I'm the engineer who actually manufactured this stuff and I know what I'm talking about!"  
  
"And I'm the one who actually has to drink this stuff, if you remember."  
  
Trowa smirked slightly. Chris Latta was waving his fist at the Constucticon chemist Mixmaster, who had the distinctive feature of a massive mixing drum sticking out of his back. The machine they were by was intended to begin producing flux, no energon for the transformers to consume but currently the two, who had actually sparked up a close friendship seemed to be undecided on its composition. Quietly, Trowa jumped up a level to a balcony and left the room.  
  
*  
  
Heero sat on the rim of a balcony, overviewing the massive hanger that had been turned over to house the human mobile suits. Hand under chin, he contemplated Wing Zero. The massive machine, wings tucked behind it's back, stared right backaHejkejilql, silent, brooding. Yet a faint light glimmered in its optics. Heero glanced briefly at the open cockpit. He had completely shut down the suit, yet he could see a faint flicker and hear the hum of processors. But then of course, the Zero system never slept.  
  
Heero looked down as movement caught his eye. He grunted in surprise.  
  
Relena, still dressed for gym and wiping her face with the towel she'd appropriated, stepped towards the mighty titan. She halted at the base and stared up at the head. Tentatively, she reached out and touched one of the foot assemblies.  
  
"It's warm."  
  
"Gundanium absorbs all energy, including heat so it only registers a small amount on scanners like infra-red."  
  
She turned, but was hardly surprised. Heero had dropped from the fifty-foot balcony and landed silently like a cat. She looked up at the Gundam.  
  
"Why does this machine mean so much to you?"  
  
Heero walked up to Zero and grabbed the safety cable, acting like he hadn't heard her. It drew him into the air and he vanished into the cockpit. Relena waited for the cable to drop back down and grabbed it.  
  
Heero was tapping the controls in the cockpit. Around him screens came to life and displays lit up like a Christmas tree. He looked up as Relena pulled herself into the cockpit door, faint surprise showing on his face that she was strong enough to pull herself up the cable. She carried on doggedly.  
  
"You were genuinely grieved when you lost this thing in Brussels, then you spent five months rebuilding it on your own even though Anne Une offered you the best mobile suit engineers on the planet to help."  
  
Heero stood up and squeezed past her, he pointed.  
  
"Sit in the chair."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Sit down in the pilot's seat."  
  
Relena was, needless to say, shocked. Since he had come into possession of Wing Zero, Heero had not let anyone touch it, let alone cohabitate it's cockpit. Of course there was that episode where Quatre hi-jacked it after the war but...Slowly, she eased herself into the leather seat. The straps cut into her back, but it was relatively comfortable. Heero squatted down on the folded down door.  
  
"Zero, this is Relena."  
  
"What, Hee- OH!"  
  
*  
  
The quiet mountains burned like cold fire in the first light of dawn. On the edge of a deep turquoise lake, a mighty army was gathered.  
  
Onslaught watched on in pride as his forces paraded before him. An entire army of loyal drones. Behind him stood his four new commanders, silent and foreboding.  
  
The one hundred human mobile suits stared blankly ahead, their faceless heads incapable of any expression. Each suit had had some extensive modifications made to them, as well as a new paint job.  
  
In appearance the front ranks of Leos were even more impressive than they had been before conversion. Each gleamed purple and silver, and a massive set of Caterpillar treads rose from each shoulder. The Aires remained relatively unchanged, each looking like a samurai warrior with a pair of sharp blades crossed over their backs. The Taurus' were his new seeker corps, each now bearing the distinctive signs of those warriors, the cockpit folded over the chest. Finally came the Serpents and Virgos, the first retaining their olive green colour, the second gloss black with silver and red trim. Each pair had a massive pair of wheels for shoulders. As artillery support, they would be deadly.  
  
Each drone was proudly branded with the Decepticon sigil of the plumed serpent. He stepped to the fore.  
  
"A new order is rising, and its victory is at hand. You here know no pain you know no fear. You will bring swift devastation to our enemies."  
  
One hundred fists raised in the air as the drones chanted.  
  
"ALL HAIL ONSLAUGHT, DECEPTICON COMMANDER SUPREME! I FUNCTION FOR YOU AND YOU ALONE!"  
  
Onslaught turned to his new commanders and addressed them. Among them the obvious leader was the powerful navy and white machine which almost radiated charisma. The single blue optic visor gleamed with intelligence and optimism. Onslaught nodded.  
  
The decepticon saluted, reserved but confident.  
  
"Commander Onslaught!"  
  
Next was an imposing red machine, silent and brooding. Likewise, it saluted, but did not speak.  
  
Finally were two machines to whom the most modifications had been carried out , as Onslaught had removed their blank heads and replaced them with a transformer face. Both had proper faces unlike the other new decepticons, but the expressions were placid, lips tightly pursed, dully glowing red optics staring straight ahead as they stood at rigid attention. Onslaught smiled. The two human personalities he had built in were described as perfect soldiers, and he was eager to see these two in battle.  
  
He reached the end of the line and addressed them.  
  
"You are all skilled in battle, and as commanders of our drone forces I expect you to excel. Now then decepticons, transform and attack!"  
  
A massive sound of transformation filled the air as the occupants of the hall shifted confusingly. The front rank of Leos had become tanks, turrets armed with the variety of weapons they were built to carry. Each Aires had become a helicopter, a beam cannon slung beneath the body, along with several banks of missiles. The Taurus' still retained their fighter transformation, but modified to improve their power and speed. Finally the Serpents and Virgos were a bank of artillery vehicles, the Virgos carrying massive beam rifles, the Serpents adorned with missiles, Gatling guns and a bazooka.  
  
Equally impressive were the new vehicle modes of his four new commanders. Onslaught watched with pride as, with them at their lead, the mighty army tore out of the valley towards the north, leaving nothing but clouds of dust and fear in their wake.  
  
*  
  
1010110101011011101001010101010101010110100101001001001011101101011010101110 11  
  
Heero watched on. Relena had barely moved in the twenty minutes after the Zero system had jacked into her mind. Like any person using the Zero, though the mind was currently 'on hiatus' the body remained tensed, except for her mouth, which hung slightly open. Heero noted with silent amusement that her hands had subconsciously gripped the joysticks and her fingers were pressing the buttons in rapid succession.  
  
Curious, Heero managed to manipulate himself around the computer console that filled the front of the cockpit and tapped a few quick commands, activating the small screen mounted over the sensor array. After a few seconds where the screen was filled with binary code, a new display came up.  
  
Heero knew that the zero system recorded the brain patterns of anyone who piloted it as an algorithm, and the small menu was the access to this portion of the memory banks.  
  
DATA BANK 394 CONTENTS.  
  
PILOT VERSION. Q.W. 2.0 H.Y. 4.0 D.M 1.0 Z.M. 1.0 C.W. 1.0 T.B. 1.0 R.D. 1.0 (NEW FILE)  
  
Heero selected the last option. A long, undulating wave pattern ran across the screen. Heero knew that the full wave at this scale was actually over three miles long and the computer was only displaying a small portion of it. Coming out he accessed another menu.  
  
ACTIVE COCKPIT SOFTWARE. (30/12/198)  
  
ZERO SYSTEM: VERSION 3.0 ALICE CONTROL SYSTEM: VERSION 6.0 DIAGNOSTICS: VER 4.0 OZ 38423: VERSION 2.0  
  
Heero blinked. After the reconstruction of Zero he'd been forced to recycle a few OZ Mobile Suit programs to replace damaged software. But the only one that had any relation to the cockpit systems was...  
  
"ZERO! PULL HER OUT!"  
  
The active processors in the cockpit began to shut down and Relena slumped in the seat, a small contented smile on her face, eyes still closed. Heero checked her pulse and slowly eased her out of the cockpit and laid her down on the cockpit hatch, her head propped up by the towel she'd brought along from the gym.  
  
That done, Heero scrambled back into the seat and furiously tapped at the controls, giving the cockpit his patented scowl.  
  
OZ 38423 BATTLE SIMULATION. SIMULATION TAKEN FROM: DATA TRACK 24: NEWPORT CITY RESULTS:  
  
UNITS DESTROYED: 36 VIGROS DAMAGE TAKEN: 24% MISSION SUCESS: 78%  
  
ZERO COMPATIBILITY: 92.35%  
  
COMPARABLE RECORDS.  
  
H.Y. 95.49% Z.M. 92.34%  
  
Heero blinked, mouth hanging open slackly. Suddenly, Relena began to stir. Her eyes blinked open and she drew in a deep breath.  
  
"Whoa!"  
  
*  
  
Noin jogged slowly through the woods, convinced she was lost. She'd followed the sound of the blue robot's engines for the past half hour. Now the clanking sound had faded and she was wandering.  
  
Tired and weary, she stumbled out onto a bluff that overlooked the forest and the mountains. It was already occupied.  
  
Starscream sat on the cliff edge, staring out over the grand vista. She quietly approached him. Before she had covered ten feet he turned and looked at her.  
  
"Hello."  
  
She nodded back. He turned towards the horizon again.  
  
"Impressive view."  
  
"It is."  
  
Noin squinted briefly as she gazed out beside him. She pointed.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
Starscream fixed his gaze on a trail of dust rising above the trees miles away. His contemplative expression turned grave.  
  
"War."  
  
As she opened her mouth for a clearer definition, his radio crackled into life.  
  
"Quake in fear Transformers and Organics, for this is your hour of doom!"  
  
*  
  
Optimus Prime stood on the former bridge of the Ark, viewing the massive monitors that were mounted on the wall. Megatron stood beside him, his hands clenched in fury.  
  
"It seems Onslaught's come back with reinforcements."  
  
Shuddering footfalls behind them indicated the approach of the massive human mobile suits. The four machines stared grimly at the view screens.  
  
Inside Sandrock Quatre gulped at the massive army of mobile suits lined up on the horizon.  
  
*  
  
Onslaught chuckled slowly, imaging the expression on the faces of the fools inside the ark. He proudly examined the ranks of Leos, Aires and Taurus' drawn up for war on a hillside that sloped gently down to the mine. The remainder he held back, his trump card. With another hollow laugh he turned to his brother Combatacons.  
  
"It's time to truly strike fear into them. COMBATACON'S, UNITE TO FORM..."  
  
The familiar transformation sound filled the air, but larger, louder and longer as the five mighty weapons of war leapt into the air and came together, bodies twisting into a single mighty form. As a mighty head rose up from the new torso, a booming voice filled the air.  
  
"...BRUTICUS!"  
  
*  
  
Just within the shaft to the surface of the mountain, the allied Autobots and Decepticons were drawn up, ready for battle. Scattered among them were three of the Gundams and the Tallgeese 3. Wing zero was conspicuously absent. Prime was facing Sandrock, the new leader of the Gundams in Heero's absence.  
  
"Are you sure you can fight this battle?"  
  
Quatre chuckled slowly.  
  
"I think the question should be are you ready. Some of these mobile suits are quite tough nuts to crack, and if they now have intelligence..." he left the sentence hanging in the air. Prime nodded slowly.  
  
"Very well."  
  
At the head of the amassed forces Grimlock and Motormaster shared a handshake before drawing their swords and turning to face the massive monstrosity rising up outside. Megatron stepped out into daylight, fury in his eyes, his fusion cannon humming alarmingly.  
  
"ONSLAUGHT! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!"  
  
Bruticus turned and glowered at the Decepticon leader.  
  
"MEGATRON," he boomed, "BRACE YOURSELF FOR THE PIT. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO DIE!"  
  
By some radioed command, the front rank of Leos transformed to their tank mode and charged down the hillside, bazookas, beam guns or machine guns roaring.  
  
Megatron's fist clenched as he stood fast. Behind him, the transformers waited for the signal to attack.  
  
The first three Leos reached the base of the hillside and tore across the complex towards him. As the flanking ones pulled up, the centre machine transformed to robot mode and leapt towards Megatron, dobergun primed and ready to fire into the Decepticon's head.  
  
"NOW!"  
  
As the transformers leapt into fray, Megatron brought his cannon's massive barrel to bear and fired directly into the 'face' of the Leo leaping for him.  
  
The blast skewered the machine and passed on to strike the second Leo in the chest. As it flew backwards it exploded in mid air. The third brought its bazooka to bear and fired into the chest of an attacking Autobot. As it aimed for another transformer, its body was cleaved in half by Motormaster.  
  
The battle was on.  
  
*  
  
Deep inside the Ark a 3-D view of Mt. St. Hillary and the surrounding terrain was being displayed on a massive circular table. The holotable was usually used to navigate in space but served a use as a strategic display. Tiny figures were leaping and flying over the area. In the centre of the fray the four massive mobile suits and Prime and Megatron were group, firing off at incoming drones. The transformers were fighting valiantly, but sheer numbers was overwhelming them. Also, the presence of Bruticus was terrifying enough to quash almost any spirit.  
  
Zechs and Noin along with Heero, Relena, Howard, Sally and Latta were all gathered together on top of the table, walking amongst the simulations, which passed through them like ghosts. Latta and Noin both had small radios and were relaying the battle information to the four young pilots. Howard was tinkering with the display, using the transformer-sized controls to zoom in and out on specific areas of the battle. Heero and Zechs were trying to convince Sally to let them in their suits.  
  
"Look, they need help!"  
  
"Fat lot of help you'd be. I only let you fly here from the Genesis in them on the condition you do nothing rash and you nearly got involved in a fight! Now do you want to do this the easy way or do I have to sedate you before you damage yourselves!"  
  
Faced by an angry doctor, and with unpleasant memories of tangles of Sally in the past, Zechs subsided. Heero however, was running on pure adrenaline.  
  
"Damn it! We need Wing Zero to tip the balance of this fight!"  
  
"Not necessarily."  
  
The humans looked up. The six Constructions had just entered the room, faces grave, weapons drawn.  
  
"They have Bruticus, but we have our own gestalt."  
  
With that, the six robots transformed to their construction vehicle modes and charged out of the ark. As they reached daylight, they all leapt in the air like the Combatacons, twisting and morphing into a massive green and purple beast. Below, the transformers watched on in awe.  
  
"Devastator," Prime breathed.  
  
As the gigantic Devastator laid into Bruticus, a faint cheer rose up from the battling robots.  
  
*  
  
"WE'VE GOT THEM!"  
  
"What!"  
  
Ultra Magnus rushed to the bridge of the Salvation, the deck trembling under his thundering footfalls. The Salvation's bridge was a perfect circle and offered a panoramic view over space in all directions. In the centre of the room was a massive central holotable similar to that on the Ark. Currently a massive simulation of the near universe was hovering above the gleaming obsidian surface. In the darkened bridge, the tiny stars gleamed like jewels.  
  
A slight pink and white Autobot was quietly working the controls. As Magnus neared she looked up, her blue optics shining.  
  
"We've found them."  
  
"Who Arcee!"  
  
"The missing Autobots and Decepticons. Our sensors have picked up a large concentration of weapon discharge that matches their energy signatures.  
  
Magnus sighed slowly.  
  
"Does this mean they're still at war?"  
  
She nodded slowly.  
  
"That's what's most likely."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Where?"  
  
Arcee reached into the holographic galaxy and tapped a small pinprick of light with a slim finger.  
  
"Here. The third planet of the Sol system."  
  
"Do we have any records on that planet?"  
  
"The last survey was conducted shortly before the war began. The scientists on that expedition were..." She tapped for a second, and looked up, "Skyfire and Starscream."  
  
Magnus grimaced and looked away.  
  
"Skyfire never came back did he?"  
  
"No."  
  
Ultra Magnus stared out of the nearest view screen, a glowing red galaxy dominating the view.  
  
"We've searched for years for our strongest warriors. Now that we have them, what do we do..." He spun on his heel, fists clenched.  
  
"Signal the Vengeance and set course for Sol. It's time to see some old friends, and put an end to Unicron."  
  
*  
  
The humans watched the progressing battle in awe via the holotable. The three Gundams and the Tallgeese were surrounded on all sides, while Prime, wielding his proton rifle and Megatron, fusion cannon dispensing death were back to back, blasting away the attacking mobile suits together. It was the perfect example of the new union between the transformer armies, but it was a futile one in the face of an overwhelming enemy.  
  
*  
  
"Quatre, behind you!"  
  
Sandrock dropped to the ground and pivoted on a hand, the other holding a humming shotel that sliced through an Aires that had dropped down behind him. Quatre tapped the small radio headset he wore.  
  
"Thanks Ms. Noin."  
  
*  
  
Noin grinned slightly and turned to watch Heavyarms dispatch a pair of Taurus with it's homing missiles, before being kicked to the from behind ground by a Leo, which quickly encountered the sharp end of Duo's beam sabres. Nodding in approval she looked up.  
  
"Where's Anne?"  
  
*  
  
In all the chaos of the battle field no-one noticed a bright yellow Volkswagen tear out of the Ark. The only person who acknowledged its existence was Anne Une, currently riding shotgun with a handheld bazooka standing up in the open sunroof.  
  
"Bumblebee, left."  
  
The bug swung left around Jazz's right leg, and Une used the new angle to shoot a missile into the Minovsky Ramjet Engine of a low flying Aires Helicopter, which was swooping down on him. As it transformed into a rather pretty red smear the smooth talking race car saluted casually.  
  
"Thankye mam!"  
  
Une smirked into her radio.  
  
"No familiarity please Jazz!"  
  
"Sorry mam!"  
  
Chuckling, Une lapsed back into her cool demeanour as Noin's voice blared into her ear.  
  
"Anne! What do you think you're doing!"  
  
"Making a difference!"  
  
"You're committing suicide!"  
  
"I know."  
  
"What about the people you'd leave behind. Anne, what about Marimaia."  
  
Une paused, a new edge in her voice.  
  
"I'm doing this so that she can have a future!"  
  
*  
  
Of the four piloted mobile suits, Heavyarms was acting in a more defensive mode, using its massive Gatling cannons and powerful missiles to drive back Onslaught's forces as they broke through the lines. The other suits were struggling to hold their ground, due to their lack of long-range weapons. Tallgeese's Mega-gun lay on the ground, charge depleted, Duo now forced to strike with his two beam sabres and heat rod.  
  
"Damn it! I could do with my beam scythe now!"  
  
Duo cursed as the heat rod was driven out of his hands by a well-aimed uppercut by a Leo, which was promptly severed in two by Duo's blade. Surprisingly, it did not explode as he had come to expect.  
  
"Onslaught's gone and upgraded their armour."  
  
Sandrock produced its mighty heat shotels and flung them at a pair of Leo's embedding in their sensor arrays. The two drones merely reached up and pulled the shotels free, blindly flinging them back towards the Gundam.  
  
"A human pilot could never do that. It's harder to fight when the suits on a more even footing!"  
  
Altron and Skywarp were back to back, beam weapons glowing in their hands. Skywarp hefted his blade and muttered out of the side of his mouth.  
  
"Duelling or dirty Wufei?"  
  
Wufei's reply was condescending.  
  
"Remember what I taught you. Never use an unfair advantage on an opponent..."  
  
Skywarp visibly deflated. Wufei came back with a tone of humour in his voice.  
  
"..but I'd hardly call soulless machines worthy opponents!"  
  
Skywarp grinned widely and vanished in a flash of violet as Wufei skewered a Taurus with his dragon fang before turning to view an impressive display.  
  
Skywarp had materialised in mid-air, gracefully skewering Taurus' and Aires as he dove past them As he impacted on the ground a pair of Aires turned on him with their beam cannons. Not batting an optic-lid, he vanished, the Aries bullets ploughing through thin air and into each other. Wufei watched with the pride of a mentor viewing a talented pupil, before back flipping over a Leo-tank flying at him from behind. Landing on the turret he drove his trident through the armour, burrowing deep into the machine and ripping out its core processor. As the vehicle was consumed in a fireball, he sprang gracefully from it, only to see Skywarp fling his sabre at an Aires. As the blade cut through the 'head' of the machine and shot through to the other side, he materialised out of thin air to catch it and send it flying at another drone.  
  
*  
  
"Here, pull up here!"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes damn it!"  
  
Bumblebee slammed his brakes on, locking the wheels and spinning in a 360. Une jumped from the sunroof, throwing down the bazooka and zipping her flight suit up as she gazed up at the looming Leo standing over her, unaware of the tiny organic's presence as it continued to attack with it's tiny beam rifle. Une jogged over to its leg and scrambled onto the foot assembly, where she found a small hatch.  
  
"Perfect."  
  
She threw it open and dropped into the darkness, a small torch in her hands.  
  
When the Leos were built it was attempted to use the original Tallgeese blueprints as much as possible. However, since there was less hardware inside the Leo than the prototype for all Mobile suits, it resulted in a lot of dead space within the limbs, mostly the legs. The upside was that this made for easy maintenance.  
  
Une was currently in this space, surrounded by humming, clicking wires and computers slaved to the cockpit. She shone her torch up, and its weak beam highlighted a second hatch up into the leg. She pulled this down, and began to climb up a ladder built into the narrow crawl way, about two feet deep and three feet wide. As she climbed the ladder swung underneath her as the mobile suit began to walk. Holding gamely on, she was only to aware of the massive voltages coursing in wires not six inches from her head.  
  
Eventually, the ladder ended, and this last hatch was highlighted in yellow and black chevrons and decorated by various warning signs.  
  
WARNING. THIS HATCH PROVIDES ACCESS TO VERNIER COMBUSTION CHAMBER.  
  
Une took a deep breath and began to undo the bolts sealing the hatch shut. As she drew the last one back she paused, prepared herself for almost certain death.  
  
"God. Please watch over Marimaia. Mr. Trieze, I'll be seeing you soon."  
  
With a grunt she threw the hatch open, and scrambled into the actual vernier engine, one of three mounted around the Leo's waistline. This was where superheated helium from the reactor was released to the atmosphere for vertical propulsion and it was also useful to accelerate movement in a battle. She just prayed this suit had a fear of heights.  
  
Une was actually perched rather precariously on a metal rim about six inches wide that ran around the inside of the cylindrical chamber. Thirty- five feet beneath her though the massive engine vent she could see the ground, hard and rocky. She gulped. No wonder OZ's engineers had insisted in wearing full mountain climbing gear when working in here.  
  
Because of the curve of the chamber she had about twenty feet to edge herself along before she could get to the next hatch into the upper torso. If the suit lurched during that time...  
  
Carefully, Une undid her belt and looped it over a metal bar that was fixed in the wall two feet above her head, to which the engineers clipped their karabiners. Holding both ends of the belt, she began to edge her way along.  
  
*  
  
A deep roar in the air marked the arrival of a small air armada. Six fighter jets in V formation led by a navy and white F-15E and a beige and purple MiG darted over the battlefield. Above and behind them, a larger passenger airliner hung slightly in their wake. Thundercracker opened his comm.  
  
"Silverbolt, take your team and try and turn the tide down there. Blitzwing and I are going to lend Devastator a hand."  
  
As the five Autobot jets peeled off, the largest leading them, the two Decepticons lit their afterburners and streaked towards the two duelling giants.  
  
* "PREPARE FOR DEVASTATION BRUTICUS!"  
  
Devastator's booming voice called out as he blocked a punch from the other Gestalt. Bruticus however, spun and kicked the green leviathan in the torso.  
  
"YOU'RE GOOD DEVASTATOR, BUT SLOW. BIG, SLOW, AND STUPID."  
  
Bruticus cracked his steel knuckles alarmingly before driving his mighty fist into the chest of the downed giant. Behind his face-plate, he sneered menacingly. That sneer vanished abruptly as he felt a cold muzzle impact in his abdomen, and he was driven back by a massive cannon blast from Devastator's incredible weapon. As Bruticus fell back and lay still, Devastator pulled himself to his feet, using his gun as a crutch. His joints creaked alarmingly and steam and fluid gushed from his body, but he managed a weak smile.  
  
"YOU ALWAYS TALKED TOO MUCH BRUTICUS."  
  
A sharp CRACK! rang out deep within Devastator's body and his smile faded to a look of surprise. Damaged hydraulic linkages failing, the Constructicons fell apart, tumbling unconscious to the ground.  
  
*  
  
"Devastator..." Megatron breathed slowly, as he watched the mighty beast fall apart.  
  
*  
  
Thundercracker and Blitzwing dove down on the fallen Combatacon gestalt, who was beginning to stir to life. At 15,000 feet, they peeled off from each other.  
  
"Cracker, you gonna boom him?"  
  
"Yeah, put your earmuffs on."  
  
Blitzwing chuckled as he deactivated his audio sensors and armed his payload. Meanwhile, Thundercracker began to spin his sonic drums.  
  
*  
  
Une paused. A bracket that supported the rail was blocking her makeshift safety rope, and she still had ten feet to go. Slowly, she slipped one end off the belt off the rail and passed it across. For a few brief seconds she would be unsupported.  
  
*  
  
As his drums reached 12,000 rpm, Thundercracker ceased circling Bruticus and went in for his final assault.  
  
*  
  
Une let go of the belt as she passed the second loop over. Unsupported, she just prayed no-one decided to pick on this drone for a few more seconds.  
  
*  
  
Bruticus cracked his optics open and stood up. He shook his head, then his radar alerted him to a small target coming in on him from above. He looked up.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
*  
  
Thundercracker dove down past Bruticus' face to ground level and angled up again, perpendicular to the ground, parallel to his chest. He pushed his afterburners to the limit.  
  
NOW!  
  
He locked the drums, and as they stalled, the pent up sonic energy was released as he passed through the sound barrier.  
  
*  
  
BA-DOOOOOOOOM!!  
  
*  
  
Une had just hooked the belt back onto the railing when the entire suit trembled, then steadied itself. She sighed in relief, and was suddenly thrown from her perch as both battling armies were driven back by a massive wall of sound. Screaming, she swung out over the shaft, acting like the pendulum on a grandfather clock as her rudimentary rope held. She reached the apex of her swing, her feet briefly touching the opposite wall, and flew back down.  
  
"Oh shit!"  
  
Une's back slammed into the wall and she gasped as the breath was driven from her. For a few seconds she just hung there before her feet registered the commands of her brain and climbed back onto the ledge. As they did, the suit swayed left slightly, and the momentum was enough to through her sideways and onto the ladder that led up to the next hatch.  
  
*  
  
Bruticus screamed and clutched at his audios as Thundercracker's twin sonic booms reverberated around his cranial casing, disorientated long enough for Blitzwing to come in low and fast and lift him off his feet with a missile volley directed up into the groinal area.  
  
*  
  
Une dragged herself out onto the outside on the OZ suit, now standing on the shelf of the abdomen. She held and winced for seconds, her back bruised and aching. At least she was in the open air, rather than in the stifling innards of the suit, which was beginning to lurch slowly through the battleground, beam rifle targeted on a small group of Autobots, about three hundred feet away.  
  
Une sprang up, ignoring the agony in her spine and darted around the suit to the front, where she groped around the armour for a few seconds before finding a small switch.  
  
*  
  
The Leo Drone paused.  
  
UNCOMMANDED BODY FUNCTION DETECTED. COCKPIT HATCH OPEN. DIAGNOSTICS SUGGEST RUNNING TESTS AND CHECK SYSTEM INTERA...  
  
With that though, it's brain died.  
  
Une fell back into the command seat of the cockpit, thanking God and all the angels in heaven that Onslaught had hardwired his AI to the Mobile Doll system, which had a cockpit override. Around her, the red lighting that indicated the active doll software faded, and she took in the familiar surroundings of a Leo cockpit. Simple, laughably weak compared to the later OZ models, but it held an appeal to her, like saying hello to an old friend.  
  
That feeling intensified as she gripped the two joysticks.  
  
"Hello."  
  
*  
  
Cliffjumper, another beetle was helping Hound, a broken-legged Army Jeep to his feet when a trio of shadows loomed over the smaller transformers. Hound beheld three Leos, unpleasant doberguns trained on them. He cast a brief glance at his missile launcher, thirty feet away, and braced himself to meet Primus.  
  
FSS-SKERCH!  
  
A forth Leo materialised out of nowhere, thruster engines burning and beam sabre flashing, cut the leading machine in half from head to groin before spinning and blasting the other pair with the shoulder mounted beam cannons.  
  
"Oh-yeah!"  
  
Une twirled the beam sabre in the Leo's fingers, elated at the upgraded speed and manoeuvrability. It was as if the old friend had invited her straight to his bedroom without an introduction. She delved into the computer memory for a second, then hit the radio.  
  
"Howard, you read me?"  
  
"Yeah. Where the hell are you?"  
  
"I'm in a Leo in the north-west quadrant of the battle standing on my own."  
  
*  
  
Howard jumped from key to key, and the lone Leo changed colour from red to green, highlighting it as an ally.  
  
"Right, I've got you."  
  
"Right, now get this."  
  
Une rattled off a number and Howard's grin spread even further than ear to ear, if that was possible. He slid the aerial down on his CV. He turned.  
  
"Heero, when you re-built the Wing Zero, did you incorporate the package Dorothy Catalonia sent you?"  
  
Heero was still arguing with Sally, now brandishing a four inch hypodermic like a rapier, and was on the verge of carrying out one of his much dispensed death-threats when Howard called to him.  
  
"The Zero doll system, why?"  
  
Once again, Howard's grin surpassed all laws of physics and grew even bigger.  
  
"Anne just sent me the frequency Onslaught's broadcasting orders to the Leo's on."  
  
Heero nodded understanding, and Noin spun, yelling into the radio.  
  
"Boys! Prime! Megatron! Take down as many drones as you can, but NOT THE LEOS!"  
  
*  
  
Megatron frowned at Noin's rapid message, then wrestled with himself for a moment. 'Well' he shrugged. 'What have I to lose.'  
  
"Prime! Catch me!"  
  
As Megatron flew in the air his body shrank and twisted. In seconds, a small silver handgun landed in Prime's navy fist.  
  
Megatron concentrated. He'd never tried this before...Slowly he reached down and flipped the switch. As the antimatter coursed from his sub-space portal and flooded his cannon's chamber, he felt the pain begin to build. The pure energy coursed through him, flowing into every corner of his being. When every nerve in his body was burning with the agony of controlling such potent energy, he set his fusion accelerator to maximum. Then, he did it. Instead of just releasing the antimatter, he used his particle accelerator to OBLITERATE IT!  
  
A sudden silence descended over the battlefield as the sounds of war were drowned out by a roar that was amazingly, too loud to be heard. A narrow stream of energy shot from Megatron's barrel with a brightness and intensity never seen on earth. The energy rippled and spun as it flew from the tiny gun, tendrils of plasma skewing off and boiling the surrounding air. Entire ranks of drones were blown out of the sky by the energy, reduced to sub-atomic dust in nano-seconds. As the strange silence lifted, a new sound could be heard. A constant, high pitched scream of total, utter pain, louder, piercing and more terrifying than the cries of all the souls of the dammed in the eternal fires.  
  
Prime watched in amazement as Megatron's tiny mode began to shake and gyrate in his hands as he struggled to aim at the enemy, the screams of the Decepticon leader still continuing as he amazingly, continued to spew forth more of the potent power.  
  
*  
  
ZERO SYSTEM ONLINE. VARIANT CATALONIA.  
  
"Comeoncomeoncomeon!"  
  
Heero quickly booted up the intricate processors of the Wing Zero, skimming through the pre-mission software checks as quickly as possible. Even though the Gundam would not be moving this time, the slightest fault in the programming would result in lasting damage to the pilot's mind.  
  
DIAGNOSTICS COMPLETE. NO ERRORS DETECTED.  
  
"Finally."  
  
Heero's finger hovered over the 'engage' button. Now to just physically boot Zero up.  
  
"No you don't!"  
  
A sharp pain in his left forearm made Heero wince. He looked down. Sally had jumped into the cockpit, rammed her hypodermic into his arm and pumped him full of sedative before he'd even noticed her presence.  
  
'I'm getting lax.'  
  
. Heero never thought he'd have a reason to quote Wufei but...  
  
"Baka onna!" he mumbled before his mind was enmeshed in a warm, fuzzy blanket.  
  
*  
  
Megatron was in hell, he was sure of it. He had thought storing antimatter was painful, this agony made that seem like an energon bath. The pain had mounted to such a peak that even the dampers built into his neural system could not drown it out. He continued to force himself to fire, but the effort was draining him...  
  
With a final BA-DOOM! Megatron's barrage of antimatter ended and he flew in the air, screaming right through his transformation sequence. As he landed in a bank of snow, which began to melt and steam around his red-hot form, he finally noticed the damage he had sustained. His entire body was dulled, the silver finish blackened, and exposed wires struck through his joints, split and sparking from the massive power drain. Then he looked at his cannon, and gasped.  
  
The barrel had vanished, obliterated from the blast. The rear intake was shredded and components hung from it. The central unit was fused together into an unrecognisable lump, energon trickling from cracks in its obsidian surface.  
  
He then slowly turned and stared around him, vision blurred with lingering pain. At least sixty percent of the flying drones had been wiped out in one fell swoop, the others, including eighteen Leos still stood, weapons ready to fire, merely awaiting the order.  
  
As the transformers stared in amazement at what Megatron's supreme effort had accomplished, a sound rumbled through the air that chilled each person or machine to their very core.  
  
Bruticus, battered but not defeated, had pulled himself up, and was laughing, a massive, hollow laugh.  
  
"IS THAT IT? IS THAT ALL YOU CAN MUSTER MEGATRON?"  
  
His voice creaked and groaned as he spoke.  
  
"YOU MAY HAVE DESTROYED MOST OF MY ARMY, BUT YOU HAVE WORN DOWN YOURSLEVES IN SO DOING...DECEPTICONS, ATTACK!"  
  
At that command, a massive second wave of vehicles rose into view on the horizon. The transformers noted with no surprise the rebel decepticons scattered among the group or hovering in the air above, but there were fourteen new machines which they could not place. The pilots however, could see a familiarity between the colour-coding and weaponry of the newcomers with suits that still haunted their nightmares.  
  
*  
  
Heero's unconscious form slumped out of Wing Zero's cockpit and would have fallen off the hatch had Zechs not caught him. The blonde pilot silently cursed as his wounded arm protested at the weight of the blissfully smiling pilot 01.  
  
"Damn it Sally! What the hell did you do that for?" He gasped as he managed to lug Heero over to the railing that separated the open hatch from the balcony. Sally meanwhile, had grabbed the young man's legs and together they managed to haul him over the banister. As Zechs leant over Relena took Heero's arms and helped Sally bear his weight while Zechs climbed over.  
  
"Heero's a patient of mine and I won't have his mind subjected to the mental stress the Zero system exerts on the mental processes. And the same goes for you!"  
  
"Dammit all to hell Sally! If I don't pilot those Leos he won't have a chance to get better! Do you know anyone else here who can pilot a Gundam?"  
  
"Me."  
  
"Huh!"  
  
The bickering pair spun round to witness Zero's cockpit seal itself, Relena inside! Zechs and Sally quickly ran to a communicator while Heero was left forgotten on the catwalk.  
  
"Relena! Get the hell out of there!"  
  
"No Zechs. Sally's right. Neither you or Heero are fit for this at the moment."  
  
"That bakana Yuy put you up to this didn't he!"  
  
"SHUT THE HELL UP MILIARDO!"  
  
The use of Zechs' former name quicker had the desired affect. Inside, Relena took a deep breath.  
  
"I'm doing this because I choose to Zechs, not because Heero or anyone else made me. Now then, talk me through the start up sequence or try to do it myself, and there's so few buttons in here the first one I hit might be the self-detonate!"  
  
Zechs dragged his hand over his face before slumping in defeat. Dammit! Noin was right. He'd be doing the same in Relena's place. He slumped in defeat.  
  
"Fine! But I hope to God you know what you're doing."  
  
"WHAT!" Sally screeched, "You're going along with her!"  
  
"Sally," Zechs breathed, "I believe you have a patient who needs attending to."  
  
Once again he shut his eyes as he tried to recall the layout of the Wing Zero's cockpit.  
  
"Right, Heero's already brought the cockpit systems online so the first thing you need to do is engage it to the motor control systems. That's the spherical red button behind your right elbow."  
  
"Done."  
  
*  
  
On the crest of the hill was a fleet of artillery pieces, drawn up in an arrow formation. In the centre, ten either side, was a white and navy half- track, swift, powerful, and deadly, the massive dobergun mounted on it's rear a testimony to that.  
  
Its rear treads ground the earth into dust and it leapt forward, mounting a ridge and sailing into oblivion. Halfway through it's fall it transformed, into a noble king of mobile suits, a weapon that combined sheer firepower with the elegance of ancient warriors. It landed at the base of the cliff, and gestured towards the transformers, and yelled with a voice that struck a nerve in the human pilots.  
  
"ATTACK!"  
  
Wufei leaned forward in his cockpit.  
  
"Treize?"  
  
At the Tallgeese Mk II's cry, ten of the Virgos and Serpents on the ridge transformed and fired, sun glinting off their armour, sinister weapons unloading ammo and particle charge into the weakened transformers while the other ten dropped over the cliff after their commander. Simultaneously, the rebel Decepticons joined the battle. All the while, the sinister Bruticus loomed over, watching, and waiting for the inevitable victory.  
  
*  
  
"Next, you have to switch the power supply from the batteries to the reactor."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Above the main display and right of the console there's a line of five switches with a red light above them. Press each until each light turns green, making sure to go left to right. That will bring the reactor online."  
  
As Relena activated the reactor, a low humming began to build in the cockpit as above her a thermonuclear fusion reaction began to take place.  
  
"Now, to supply main power to all the other systems including the Zero you have to close the circuit breakers. They're too big to close by hand, so you have to pump up a primer charge to shut the contacts."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Small sub-console on the left. Three circular buttons. The yellow one is labelled push to charge. Push it, and pump the left joystick back and forth three times."  
  
"Right. One, two three. Charged."  
  
"Now under the words 'contact position' there's a pair of buttons. Red says push to open and green says push to close. Push green."  
  
Relena ran her finger down the panel.  
  
"Push to close. Got it."  
  
CLICK!  
  
With a dull thud, the cockpit monitors lit up, and Zechs grimaced as the exterior sensors burned green, and a harsh klaxon began to sound.  
  
"Finally, activate the Zero system. It's the...it's the..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Zechs paused. Steeled himself.  
  
"It's the yellow button above the 3-D radar."  
  
Zechs slowly eased himself to the catwalk as the klaxon cut out. No going back now.  
  
*  
  
Relena depressed the switch, and an amazing presence filled the cockpit.  
  
"Zero?"  
  
'Yes.'  
  
"Zero, I need your help."  
  
'Why? You're not my pilot.'  
  
That stumped her for a second.  
  
"No, but I do care about him."  
  
There was a heavy silence.  
  
'Yes. You do don't you.'  
  
"Please Zero. If we don't defeat the enemy, then Heero's going to die."  
  
A long pause.  
  
'Mission, accepted.'  
  
Before Relena could answer back, an amazing wave of disorientation hit her, and her vision went black.  
  
*  
  
Prime opened up a small com-link on his wrist.  
  
"Silverbolt! Take Bruticus down."  
  
*  
  
"Roger that command Optimus."  
  
Silverbolt, a silver supersonic concord, plummeted down from the sky and opened his comm. link while he transformed.  
  
From: SBolt@Sup.bot To: Airbts@Sup.bot Sub: Combine!  
  
Four Autobot jets immediately stopped fighting and swept towards a common destination, where Silverbolt was waiting. As they rose into the air together, he issued his challenge.  
  
"AIRIELBOTS, COMBINE TO FORM SUPERION!"  
  
Superion, a weird amalgam of a concord and four fighter jets, bellowed to the distant giant across the battlefield.  
  
"BRUTICUS, COME AND FACE ME!"  
  
Bruticus turned slowly, a cruel smile hidden by his face-plate.  
  
"KIDS."  
  
"I'M NO KID! COME AND FIGHT ME, INSTEAD OF SENDING THESE ANTS TO DO YOUR DIRTY WORK FOR YOU!"  
  
Bruticus roared with laughter.  
  
"YOU KNOW ANTS CAN STING!"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
A sudden tingle in his thighs made Superion look down, and watch with horror as a group of Leos scrambled up his legs, using magnetic grips to climb.  
  
"ARGH!"  
  
As he tried to bat the steadily advancing land suits off, a squadron of Aires swept down out of the sky and attacked his head, staying just out of range of his massive arms. Superion, young and inexperienced, began to panic.  
  
"ARGH! GET AWAY ROM ME!"  
  
Unfazed, the Leos on him split into separate groups. While a pair remained at each of his knees, the remaining six scrambled over his chest to his shoulder assemblies. All ten, were armed with bazookas.  
  
*  
  
Ironhide, the battle veteran of the Autobots, looked up from a Leo he had just torn to pieces.  
  
"Dang it. SUPERION, DIVIDE NOW!"  
  
Too late.  
  
*  
  
BA-DOOM!  
  
All ten Leo's unloaded a single rocket into each of Superion's joints before leaping off and using their waist-thrusters to control their descent to the ground.  
  
"AGH!"  
  
Superion trembled for a second, and fell apart.  
  
*  
  
It was amazing.  
  
Relena hovered in the centre of a massive spherical chamber. The single curved wall was lined with dozens upon dozens of monitors, each blank.  
  
Once again she could feel the overwhelming mind of the Zero.  
  
COMMAND FREQUENCY INTERLINKED. MOBILE DOLL CONTROL ASSUMED.  
  
Each monitor lit up, showing the battle from the viewpoints of more than a dozen Leo suits. But there was something more. Relena wasn't just seeing the battle through each suits eyes, she could feel them.  
  
'Dorothy told me about this.'  
  
That was her last thought before both minds, one organic, one artificial merged together.  
  
*  
  
Autobots and Decepticons were struck down in their tracks, until only a scarce few stood, worked into a circular group back to back, along with their leaders and the standing mobile suits.  
  
Two imposing helicopters flew over the barrage, one red, and one blue. The red one carried no visible weapon, but was studded with a vast selection of circular shield-like devices. The next had a massive black generator and beam cannon mounted on its underside. As they darted over the gathered transformers, they shifted and morphed, and two sinister mechs dropped into the fray, weapons ready. At the same time, the Tallgeese rocketed forward on its impulse engines, dobergun cast aside in favour of the two beam sabres it produced.  
  
In response, Megatron ripped his twisted cannon from his arm, and with a crackle of energy, his laser mace and sword lit the surroundings ominously.  
  
*  
  
The other pilots and the humans in the Ark were more vocal in their response.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
"Crap!"  
  
"That's Trieze's Tallgeese."  
  
"I thought they were destroyed!"  
  
Prime looked at the mobile suits gathered around him.  
  
"I assume you're very familiar with these new forces."  
  
Each human nodded slowly, and the Gundams drew their weapons, ready for battle.  
  
The Mercurius and Vayeate lay into the group together, working as a team to overcome their own disadvantages. As the Vayeate dealt out swift destruction with its beam cannon, the Mercurius shielded it with its mighty planetary defensors, blocking the energy attacks dealt out.  
  
Prime was battling it out with the Tallgeese, using the energy axe which suddenly replaced his right fist. He neatly parried and blocked every blow dealt to him, but each attack of his own was brought up short on the shield Tallgeese adorned.  
  
Tallgeese grunted in satisfaction, this was a worthy fight. He felt enlivened, the rush of battle flooding his system.  
  
Yet deep within his spark core a slight niggling feeling ate at him. his forces only had the upper hand because of the first wave of drones, and he faintly disliked their use as warriors. They were not alive, and using such creatures to fight a war made it seem somewhat pointless to him. War was meant to be an expression of beliefs, which gave war a degree of nobility and fighting with drones to defend your beliefs rather than yourself made war into nothing more than a game. He felt a slight shudder run up his spinal column.  
  
*  
  
Duo was in dire straits. A trio of Leos were currently surrounding him, each wielding a Taurus style beam cannon. One shot of these had been enough to finish the original Deathscythe off, and the Tallgeese 3 wasn't even a Gundam.  
  
*  
  
Zech's remained huddled next to the communicator, and a chill struck through him as he heard Relena's voice come through. It had the same cold, soulless quality that Heero's had under the influence of the Zero  
  
"Mission commencing."  
  
*  
  
Megatron neatly cut the cord which linked Epyon's power generator to its beam sword, rendering the weapon useless. He allowed himself a brief smile, which faded when the red machine with more than a hint of smugness, produced a long, segmented heat rod. Megatron had seen the Tallgeese 3 using such a weapon, and its deadly effectiveness had chilled him.  
  
*  
  
Thrust laughed maniacally as he hovered a short distance above the battlefield. Below him Ironhide and Jazz were worked into a corner where two cliffs met, a Leo, a Serpent and a Virgo advancing on them, beam rifles and cannon drawn.  
  
"Yes. Kill them, KILL THEM ALL! AHAHAHAHAHA!"  
  
*  
  
The three Leos targeted the Tallgeese 3. Duo closed his eyes.  
  
"Sorry you weren't able to go down with me Deathscythe."  
  
*  
  
Ironhide threw his depleted handgun away.  
  
"Jazz? Ready to go down fightin'!"  
  
"Yeah my man'!"  
  
FZZ-OOM!  
  
The Virgo fired it's weapon with dazzling precision direct into Jazz' chest, taking the rally car down. Jazz looked up, and the blue Leo obscured his vision, a dark angel of death. In one swinging movement, it brought its sabre flashing down...  
  
...and spun into the Virgo, driving the sabre through the optic plate and out the other side.  
  
Ironhide blinked in amazement at the sudden turn and grinned wildly.  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
With that, the ten-ton robot launched himself at the Serpent, knocking it down and rolling, before grabbing the machines elaborate shoulders in the same movement and throwing it over his shoulders, swinging it to the ground with a sickening thud. The Leo neatly enhanced the move by bringing the sabre down through the back, shutting down the reactor.  
  
"I say yeah!"  
  
*  
  
Thrust stared down from his position at the rebel Leo, and brought his laser to bear.  
  
*  
  
BA-BA-BA-DOOM!  
  
Duo blinked. The three Leos had spun and were firing their weapons in varying directions, but all away from him. In perfect synchronization, two Taurus and the last Aeries were blown out of the sky.  
  
*  
  
Relena could feel everything. She could see in all directions at the same time, feel the movement of every machine in the battle, and she was all eighteen Leos at once. It was amazing.  
  
*  
  
Thrust pulled the trigger, and the rebel Mobile suit burned brighter than day.  
  
*  
  
Relena was suddenly struck by a cold, cold pain all through her body, as she felt a part of her go out of her, as the Leo exploded.  
  
'This is what it's like to die.'  
  
She detected the decepticon who had 'killed' her.  
  
'Yes Thrust, you're my enemy.'  
  
*  
  
With that, one Leo, special in that it was mounted with an atomic ramjet backpack, shot off the ground and swooped past the arrogant conehead, beam sabre held out at ninety degrees to it's body.  
  
*  
  
Thrust blinked, and screamed as her realised the cone of his head had suddenly gone. He began to thrash in agony as energon and coolant fluid spurted from the gaping wound.  
  
Relena quickly put him out of his misery. Just before it cleaved him in two, Thrust heard a distinct voice emanate from speakers in the suit's head.  
  
"I lived up to my promise."  
  
*  
  
All over the battle ground the sixteen other Leos were turning on their allies. The ten Virgos and Serpents on the battle level were focused on the battle, weapons trained on the transformers, waiting for a point to pick off some unsuspecting target. So focused were their soulless minds that they barely noticed the darting blue figures stalking them, until it was too late.  
  
However, Relena in turn made the same mistake. The Zero system operated best if the user kept the broad perspective in mind. By focusing too much on smaller battles she was unaware of the drones on the bluffs until they began picking off her units. Time after time she felt the cold, burning agony of death, until she was down to four units backed into in the same group as the remaining transformers, the Gundam boys and Une.  
  
*  
  
Up on the bluff the drones kept up their assaulted, unaware of a silent figure that prowled behind them.  
  
With a quiet snarl, Ravage turned back towards the trees, where a figure awaited, only perceivable by a slight change in the texture of the shadows. Soundwave knelt and stroked the metallic coat of his child, pondering, till a decision was made. He rested a finger on his shoulder catch.  
  
"Rumble Frenzy, Laserbeak Buzzaw. Eject."  
  
Two cassette tapes shot forth from his chest and twisted into the figures of small humanoid robots, while another pair morphed into mechanical birds. Soundwave knelt before the five, and addressed them in his usual monotone, but there was something different about it. There was emotion in it, concern, and a faint caring compassion.  
  
"Never have I left you alone while I go on a mission, but now I must. This is a battle I may not return from, and I cannot put your lives in danger as well as my own."  
  
Rumble held up a fist in protest.  
  
"Why? We can take care of ourselves in a battle."  
  
"You survive because enemies lend you mercy because of your size. But these enemies have none, and I will not risk you."  
  
With that, Soundwave turned and sprinted from the cover of the trees towards the massed Virgos and Serpents, oblivious to the cries of his children as he lay into the unexpecting drones, ripping and tearing weapons from their arms with a ferocity not often seen in him.  
  
*  
  
Starscream in his jet mode hurtled over the landscape towards St. Hillary, where the smoke of war rose high into the air. Noin, in his cockpit, had her face pressed against the orange glass, with nothing to do but wait, and hope.  
  
*  
  
Grimlock and Motormaster stood back to back, comrades in arms ready to fight to the bitter end. Behind them the Gundams continued to fight, driving back decepticons futilely. Now, only they, Prime, Megatron and few else stood, the others scattered about, fallen, but alive.  
  
Heavyarms raised its weapons high, targeting a Serpent swooping low over them. The barrels spun dry, smoke trickling from the bores. Unfazed, Trowa hefted the gun high and flung it at the drone. The barrel impaled itself into the Serpent, which paused to pull it loose like a bee sting, paused long enough for Tallgeese to swing it's heat rod in a massive arc and sever it cleanly in two. As it fell to the ground, it's high-pitched humming faded, and the glow it gave off lessened. Duo dropped it to the ground in disgust.  
  
"I'm out!"  
  
He looked up briefly, at Bruticus, sizing up the gestalt.  
  
"Or am I?"  
  
*  
  
Megatron paused from his duel with Epyon just long enough to wonder where the constant barrage of firepower had vanished. He yelled in shock, just before Epyon kicked him to the ground.  
  
"Soundwave!"  
  
Soundwave had taken down three of the five Virgos with his bare hands, driving his fists into the head sensor arrays, blasting them with his shoulder cannon. So far, he had been able to avoid damage, his telekinetic abilities forewarning him of his adversaries' moves. But he was large, and slow. As he took a swing into the torso of his first Serpent, the remaining units set him as their primary target.  
  
*  
  
Epyon stood over Megatron, heat rod raised high, a psychotic gleam in its emerald optics.  
  
*  
  
A mental alarm went off in Soundwave's head and he turned to face the danger, only to be hit in all sides by a massive barrage of bullets, shells and beam targets. His old armour held, but the pressure was crushing him, and he did something he had not done in a long time. He screamed.  
  
*  
  
Megatron braced himself for the end as Epyon's heat rod swept down. A sudden 'CLANG!' and a cry of surprise came, and he opened his optics.  
  
The heat rod had wrapped itself around Prime's energy axe, which he had used to block the attack on Megatron. The metal core of the axe was beginning to burn and melt as the rod bit deeper into it. Prime was screaming at the agony of having a literal extension of his arm being melted away. Acting on instinct, Megatron summoned his last ounce of energy and swung his mace at Epyon. The scarlet Gundam took the blow directly in the chest, shattering the green gem that housed his variant of the Zero System.  
  
*  
  
Tallgeese 2 wondered where his adversary had sprung to, before laying into the first of the blue Leos he sighted. The machine kept up with every parry, thrust and swipe of his blade, and he tilted his head in surprise.  
  
"Where did you learn skills like this you backstabbing drone?"  
  
It was a rhetorical question, so his fuel pump skipped a beat when he got an answer.  
  
"Drone, I'm no drone. Don't you recognise my style?"  
  
Tallgeese paused in confusion, before the Leo stopped moving and it's cockpit opened. A slender human female stepped into the light. The appearance of her slender figure and sharp, yet gentle facial features stalled the Mk 2. Leo Prototype, unleashing a barrage of memories in his mind.  
  
"Don't you recognise me, Mr Treize?"  
  
Tallgeese clenched his hands over his head.  
  
"StopitstopitSTOPIT!"  
  
In a wave of sudden rage he whipped out his beam sabre and slashed at the Leo.  
  
'No! Not Anne!'  
  
The beam stopped only a few feet short of the human, who hadn't budget or even blinked.  
  
Tallgeese slumped to his knees, bringing his head on the same level as the woman.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"The question is, who are you?"  
  
"I'm a warrior."  
  
"Yes. But who is the warrior?"  
  
*  
  
Starscream hurtled over the rim of the site. Noin leaned over in her seat and screamed, pointing down.  
  
"LOOK!"  
  
Soundwave had crumpled to the ground, his chest a mess of shrapnel and molten metal. A Serpent was over him, beating him with its fist while the other machines moved in for the kill. With a scream of anguish, his five cassettes had run to defend him, hopelessly outmatched.  
  
Ravage leapt onto the Serpent, in his rage trying to bite through the sensor plate. He suddenly realised his folly and fired his hip-mounted missiles. The head of the Serpent exploded, the blast picking Ravage up and throwing him hundreds of feet. Noin pounded the cockpit.  
  
"Help them!"  
  
"Rumble and Frenzy have hidden cards to play," but Starscream's voice had a twinge of doubt in it and he circled back to the ridge, away from the main battle.  
  
*  
  
Duo jumped from the Tallgeese 3's cockpit, holding the remote detonation device in his hands. As he touched the ground, the white machine rose into the air, and darted off towards the waypoint Duo had set on the autopilot.  
  
BRUTICUS!  
  
'Even if we win this fight that monster will crush us before we can move to defend ourselves. Maybe I can readdress that balance.'  
  
Bruticus turned as his sensors picked up an incoming object. He blindly swiped with his arms to strike the machine, just as Duo pressed the detonator.  
  
...nothing happened.  
  
Bruticus struck the Tallgeese like a batsman would hit a ball. A crumpled, twisted mess it flew across the site, landing among the rebel Stunticons, skulking at the edge of the battle.  
  
Curious, the three machines cautiously approached the twisted mass of metal, which began to emit a piercing screech. The three darted for it as the Tallgeese's fusion reactor went thermonuclear, lifting them into the air.  
  
Drag Strip hit the ground face first, sliding along before being brought up short by a pair of grey feet. Nervously, he looked up, and gulped.  
  
"Don't even bother to beg for mercy traitor", Motormaster growled, before grabbling his torso and hefting him towards another machine Drag Strip knew only too well.  
  
"Grimlock..."  
  
*  
  
Megatron and Prime helped each other to their feet, each supporting the other. Tallgeese slowly turned his gaze from Une and gazed at them in even further bemusement..  
  
"You aid each other, yet..."  
  
Prime looked up.  
  
"Yet what?"  
  
Tallgeese slowly stood up.  
  
"You are merely exploiting the other. Building on each other's weakness for your own ends. So says Lord Onslaught, decepticon commander supreme!"  
  
"Oh wake up and smell the coffee!"  
  
Tallgeese was sent reeling by a hefty punch to its head by Altron's remaining arm, the other lost to a Serpent's missile barrage. As it lay on it's back, staring at the green dragon, Altron's cockpit popped open and Wufei stepped out. More images assaulted the blue mobile suit's mind with the appearance of the intense Chinaman.  
  
"What lies has Onslaught poisoned your mind with? You are not the noble warrior and leader I once duelled with, you are little more than a naive child with an oversized weapon."  
  
Altron knelt down, grabbing Tallgeese's head with its hand.  
  
"Where is that man? Where in that thick skull of yours is Treize Kushrenada?"  
  
*  
  
Epyon's optics slowly blinked online and his hand slowly reached out and gripped the shield, which had become separated from his arm. He paused, and tensed himself.  
  
Heat Rod Power levels 56%  
  
Wait for it  
  
67%  
  
Wait  
  
79%  
  
Wait  
  
94%  
  
Long enough.  
  
"AUTOBOTS! DIE!"  
  
With a brief burst of verniers Epyon threw himself to his feet and swept the heat rod round in a massive arc at the nearest target to him.  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
Heavyarms swept round to see Epyon's rod wrap itself around the leg assembly of Altron, flipping it onto it's back before quickly unwinding itself for a final lethal blow before the gundam could upright itself.  
  
*  
  
In the cockpit Wufei smirked.  
  
"You have no honour Miliardo."  
  
*  
  
With a roar of plasma Altron's remaining Dragon Fang baptised the Epyon with fire, aiming at the neck and head.  
  
"Those without honour are weak, and I always defeat the weak!"  
  
As the red machine screamed in pain Trowa further fuelled its baptism with his final armament of micro-missiles, driving the demon gundam back further.  
  
*  
  
Miliardo's brain rebelled at its now superheated body's treatment and rose up for one final suicidal strike. Epyon's chassis flipped to aircraft mode in a nano-second, and he darted at Heavyarms on a direct collision course.  
  
"I'LL KILL YO-FLOH!"  
  
A spilt-second before collision, Epyon fell to the ground as a robot, tumbling and rolling into Heavyarms, flipping the blue Gundam into the sky. At the same time, the final segment on the heat rod caught Heavyarm's left arm in the elbow for a split second, ripping the lower arm lose. Trowa, used to flying through the air in unusual directions, quickly pulled his flight into a backward triple-axis spin and landed in front of Epyon, which was gyrating on the ground, clutching it's throat and gargling!?  
  
"LARGH! AHH! GARR..!"  
  
Epyon continued to grasp his throat as if unseen hands were strangling him, but it seemed his ghost attacker was winning.  
  
Despite that suffocating pain that was grabbing him, Epyon's brain still registered the need for one final kill. He looked up at Heavyarms, not a hundred feet away, and threw himself at him, screaming blue murder.  
  
BA-DOOM!  
  
A sudden projectile hit him in the chest and threw him back, burrowing deep into his core before exploding, sending bright fire streaming through his limbs, which was the last thing he registered before death.  
  
*  
  
As Epyon's shattered body collapsed, a thin trail of fluid trickled from the steam vents masking his face.  
  
"He drowned."  
  
Heavyarm's kicked it slowly while Altron struggled to its feet and joined it.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"The coolant and steam pipes in the neck. Heat from your flamethrowers softened them and the force of my missiles caused them to rupture, and his head flooded. He just, drowned..."  
  
Heavyarm's paused a moment, before spinning round.  
  
"Who shot him with a dobergun?"  
  
*  
  
Starscream swooped low over the ridge, where the cassettes where backed up around Soundwave's battered chassis. Rumble and Frenzy where back to back, using their small hand-held lasers, while laserbeak and Bussaw pecked at the faces of their attackers, which barely fazed them.  
  
"Come on guys, use your real weapons." Starscream muttered. Noin screamed at him.  
  
"You've got to help them! They're only children!"  
  
Starscream chuckled humourlessly.  
  
"If you think of those scraplets as children wait till you wake up one morning to find your quarters painted pink!"  
  
"I'm serious, look!"  
  
Laserbeak had just taken a hefty shot from a beam cannon, knocking his frail body from the air on top of his 'father's'. Frenzy and Rumble gaped in horror at an oncoming Virgo, beam cannon trained on his tiny form. Starscream banked tightly back.  
  
"Right."  
  
The Virgo's audio sensors registered a sound above it, and its brain processed the information at the speed of light.  
  
LOW FREQUENCY HARMONIC RUMBLE, DROPPING FROM HIGH TO LOW PITCH. PROCESSING... ID. TRANSFORM SEQUENCE AUDIO OUTPUT  
  
The machine looked up to the red streak dropping towards it.  
  
SEEKER UNIT STARSCREAM. NEW OBJECTIVE. ATTACK WITH EXTREME PREJU-  
  
That particular computation was never worked through. Starscream's right heel, engine vents red hot from fusion impulses, drove straight into its head, melting it to an unrecognisable blob. As Starscream kicked the molten goo off his foot, he spun on the other with lightning speed and fired off quick null shots at the remaining machines, following them up with laser shots to the main CPU.  
  
"Yuk. Liquid Gundanium, bet that stains!"  
  
As he finished downing the drones, Noin dropped from his cockpit, sprinting over to the cassettes huddled on Soundwave's back. Frenzy was cradling Rumble in his arms, the small purple machine quivering and mumbling.  
  
Starscream knelt on the bluff, his advanced processor quickly processing the knowledge he had gained from Zechs' mind as he surveyed the battle. Bruticus was still overseeing the fray, seemingly indifferent to the slaughter of his forces. Drag Strip's crumpled body lay at Grimlock's feet, and the corpses of Wildrider and Breakdown were clustered near Motormaster. The transformers and human mobile suits were beginning to break out of the formation they had been worked into, but were held back by the Mercurius and Vayeate, still ruthlessly double teaming them.  
  
'Mercurius, Vayeate. Both have a weakness. Vayeate has no short range weapons, so it relies on Mercurius covering it with its defensors to keep any attackers away. But the shields must have a limit? Take the Mercurius out of the equation, and the Vayeate is defenceless. Right.'  
  
Starscream spun and lifted a beam cannon off a downed Virgo. The weapons database Howard had installed spun into action.  
  
'Beam cannon. Long range particle weapon capable of damaging gundanium. But the Mercurius shields deflect beam weapons.'  
  
His optic alighted on a Serpent, it's twin Gatling cannon still clenched in its fist.  
  
'That however...'  
  
*  
  
Noin was holding Rumble with Frenzy's assistance, trying to get a reaction out of the comatose cassette. Pausing for a brief second, she looked towards Starscream.  
  
"What is he doing?"  
  
Starscream had pulled enough wiring from a dismembered serpent to allow him to jury rig the recharge terminals in his beam sabre sockets to the beam cannon he held in his right hand, the left holding a Gatling cannon. Their weight pulling him down, he mounted the ridge, and strained his arm servos to the limit in order to lift the unfamiliar, and heavy weapons. He trained his sights on the target. He took a deep breath.  
  
"MERCURIUS!"  
  
The said robot spun to face him, and at that point Starscream pulled the trigger on the beam cannon.  
  
A stream of charged particles spewed forth from the cannon. On instinct, Mercurius brought its defensors to bear, the spherical shields forming a barrier across his front. As the beam struck it, the energy spewed off like water off a sheet of glass, deflected by the invisible energy that bound the shields.  
  
Starscream kept firing, running the charge present in the cannon down, before channelling power directly from his own system into the weapon. As his power levels began to drop rapidly, alarms warning him of stasis lock began to blare in his head.  
  
*  
  
Mercurius frowned; his shields continued to deflect the beam energy his assailant was directing at him, but the barrage continued.  
  
'That cannon should have run dry by now.'  
  
He noticed, with rising alarm, that his shields were entering the danger area, over-reaching themselves in order to maintain a barrier.  
  
*  
  
STATIS LOCK IMMINENT!  
  
"OVERRIDE!"  
  
CANNOT COMPLY!  
  
"DAMN IT!"  
  
Starscream was on the verge of blackout, but he continued to divert energy, from his core system, at the same time building the energy in his new fusion reactor, waiting.  
  
*  
  
Mercurius was doing the same, channelling his life-force into his shield. But he did not have the dual power system that Starscream, and Starscream alone among all transformers possessed.  
  
*  
  
"NOW!"  
  
As Starscream dumped several million watts of energy direct from his reactor into the beam cannon, he pulled the trigger on the Gatling cannon. The dual recoil of the cannon and the artillery piece drove him back, and his aim faltered, but he held his ground.  
  
*  
  
The high-velocity bullets passed straight through the energy shield and bounced off Mercurius's armour as Starscream's inaccurate aim traced a pattern of bullets across his torso, Mercurius' concentration wavered slightly, and the Gatling cannon spat again...  
  
...right into one of the shields!  
  
Overloaded, overcharged and overused, the shield exploded. The forces that bound its brothers unbalanced by its absence, they spun off or collided with each other. The shield flickered, wavered...  
  
...and vanished.  
  
Deep within Mercurius' mind, the mental picture of Heero Yuy had just enough time to think 'oh shit!' before the energy of the beam cannon burst through and filled the world with light, and pain.  
  
As the red machine was eaten up by the hungry power, Starscream's body went limp. Cannons slipping from his fingers, he tumbled down the cliff, coming to rest at its base, limbs outstretched.  
  
Quatre took his chance. As Vayeate held a hand up to its face to shield its optics against the blinding light he dived in, Shotels gleaming red.  
  
Vayeate looked up to see a red blur sweeping towards his face. Instinctively, he spun and presented the only object he had to shield himself with at close range, the shoulder mounted fusion generator that powered his weapon.  
  
The shotels buried themselves up to the hilt in the generator. As the two mechs stared at it, it began to emit a high-pitched whining, sparks leaping from the wounds the Sandrock had inflicted.  
  
With mere seconds left to live, Vayeate and Quatre mouthed a single phrase.  
  
'Damn it!'  
  
*  
  
Relena could sense the imminent explosion of the Vayeate, and time stood still for her as the Zero system downloaded to her every single possible outcome of the explosion, and they all ended in one thing. The complete destruction of the last of the transformers and the gundams.  
  
Suddenly she could see what that would lead to. Defeat. Onslaught ripping Mt. St. Hillary apart, collapsing it and crushing the ark, and everyone inside it. Sally, Noin, Milliardo...Heero.  
  
"NO! NO! NO! I'M NOT LETTING HEERO DIE!"  
  
And in that second, she made her decision.  
  
*  
  
Sandrock was suddenly pushed aside as the last three Leo's darted past it and surrounded the exploding Vayeate...  
  
...and self detonated!  
  
The explosion ripped the three Leo's apart a microsecond before the Vayeate went Krakatoa, creating a wall of compressed air that absorbed and blocked the explosion, shielding the other mechs. However, their own explosions were still strong enough to throw the nearest machine, Sandrock over three hundred feet, landing with a sickening thud.  
  
"QUATRE!"  
  
It was Trowa's turn to scream for his other half. With a surprising speed for it's massive bulk, Heavyarms darted over to the shattered Sandrock and ripped the hatch from the torso. Quatre's limp form tumbled out into the black palm, alive, if unconscious, and amazingly unharmed.  
  
*  
  
Bruticus watched in horror at the wholesale devastation of his forces. His only remaining 'warriors', the two coneheads and Astrotrain, were dropping like flies from a match with the superior skills of Thundercracker and Skywarp, avenging their brother's sacrifice. Bruticus roared in frustration and then reeled back in agony, clutching his head as the five voices that made up his mind pulled in two different ways, either urging him on, or begging a retreat. And in his confusion, as his only weakness grabbed him in it's vice-like claws, he screamed, and it was a scream of agony.  
  
A sudden muffled roaring made him look up. Riding on towers of icy flame his proudest warrior, his last gambit faced him.  
  
His mind cleared, Onslaught crushed his minion's voices beneath him, took sole control of Bruticus' brain, and spoke. He was weak, could barely move, but he could just form the words.  
  
"Tallgeese, destroy the enemy," a pause. Silence.  
  
"No."  
  
"What?" More silence. Bruticus looked up at the insolent form perched on his hand.  
  
"ELIMINATE THEM!"  
  
"I am not Tallgeese, and you, Onslaught, are no leader." He looked up, piercing blue optics boring into fiery red.  
  
"I am not Tallgeese. I am Treize Kushrenada, and I refuse to be YOUR PAWN!"  
  
With that 'Treize' leapt backwards off Bruticus' palm and back flipped gracefully. As he reached the one point where he faced the giant, he produced his dobergun. Bruticus stared straight down the barrel.  
  
"GAH!?"  
  
BABABABABABABABABADOOOOOOM!  
  
The sleek black weapon fired a continuous round of shells at point blank range in the Combatacon gestalt's chest, crumpling and beating the metal to an unrecognisable series of dents. As the last shell fired, there was a moment of silence, where the world seemed to stand still, before Bruticus, managed to get one last word out,  
  
"TRAITOR!"  
  
Suddenly, he lost his footing, and slid backwards down the cliff, collapsing on top of himself into a pile of limbs, piping and metal. There was a brief rumble, and the debris settled further.  
  
*  
  
Duo saw his chance, and then he saw the means to achieve it not fifty feet away, idling, waiting to be used, waiting for him.  
  
*  
  
With a gasp, Onslaught scrambled out of the mess and stood on top of the mountain of Bruticus limbs, his brothers too weak to return to their vehicle modes. His body was scratched and dented, but his eyes burned with fury. His missile launchers gleamed, and with an ominous 'klik', the warheads locked onto their target.  
  
"DIE!"  
  
Four missiles shot loose from their racks together, converging and coming together with a sickening impact on 'Treize', still hovering in the air. With a brief cry, his engines failed, and he tumbled from the air, a trail of smoke behind him. He impacted and punched a crater in the ground, as the dust settled, Onslaught prepared to fire a second, fatal volley.  
  
"BRAWWWM! BRAWWWM!...BRAWWWM!!"  
  
As a sudden horn cut through the air with a piecing cry, Onslaught suddenly noticed the combatacon wreckage trembling beneath his feet. He looked down, and noticed that Bruticus had come to rest on a pair of railroad tracks, which vanished into a cloud of steam pouring from a split pipe beside the rails.  
  
Within the smoke, something moved...  
  
*  
  
Duo gritted his teeth and advanced the throttle lever as the antiquated diesel engines behind him rumbled and roared. He braced himself.  
  
"THIS ONE'S FOR HILDE!"  
  
With a deafening orchestra of sounds accompanying it, a black torpedo-like shape burst from the steam and shot towards the wreckage.  
  
As Onslaught watched in horror, the four railroad locomotives mounted the pile and, despite the forty-five degree angle, ploughed towards him with the momentum of a runaway juggernaught, a proud banner of black exhaust flying behind them.  
  
The last thing Onslaught saw was what he swore was an evil steel face leaping at him before he felt a sharp impact in his abdomen and darkness overtook him..............  
  
To be continued.  
  
Author's Brother Notes:  
  
So. A 26 page battle. Did you enjoy it? Did you? Well you better. For I give you terrible news. My Brother isn't updating till 2004.  
  
Readers: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  
  
I'm sorry, but it would have become public knowledge sooner or later.  
  
BUT! I do have good news! An Era Of Change Christmas Special! Guest starring: Tony Blair, George Bush, Saddam Hussain, The Gundam Wing cast, the cast of Transformers, the Nazgul and Sauron. And most of all! The MOST EVIL GERMAN of them all: Kaiser Wilhelm II!  
  
Readers: ?  
  
COMING 2004!  
  
ENOUGH PLOTLINE BOMBSHELLS TO FILL HEATHROW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT  
AT LEAST 75 MORE PAGES OF PURE FANFICTION/TRIPE  
THE RETURN OF THE EXILED TRANSFORMERS  
TWENTY NEW TRANSFORMERS  
5 NEW GUNDAMS  
THE RETURN OF MARIMAIA  
CHRIS LATTA'S APPEARANCE IN ENDLESS WLATZ  
OPERATION METEOR  
MANY BATTLES  
  
Go forth loyal fans. Dream of the Christmas Special. What is going to  
happen to Onslaught? Will I be in bed in time? Will I see Lord Of The  
Rings:Return of The King?  
Find out in.....  
  
ERA OF CHANGE: PART 2  
  
Over to the real mastermind: Rhys Davies.  
  
AUTHOR NOTES:  
  
Well, thank you for that interesting contribution. I'd like to take this opportunity for not updating in a month, but it was unavoidable For one thing I'm starring in a school production of "The sound of music" amongst other things. I hope this chapter makes up for it.  
  
Now then, the sad news. I'm stopping work on Era of Change until after Christmas so I can work on the Christmas special. This is a humor fic lampooning the war in Iraq, with many guest appearances by famous (and insane) celebrities. My brother and I will also be appearing.  
  
I'm uploading this in school because my computer has developed an allergy to fanfiction.net, so I've got to cut this short. See you all next year, and in the meantime, I recommend you read the excellent story Transformers: Blood & Iron by author Lein.  
  
Buy for now!  
  
PS. My brother hopes to be soon posting his first fanfiction in the Command & Conquer section. It'scalled "The Kell Defection" so keep an eye out for it.  
  
"So Long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodnight, Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu." 


	14. The Story Continues

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
  
This fanfic has been updated, but due to FF.Net rules regarding multiple postings, will not be continuing here. Henceforth, Era/Time of change will continue in ERA OF CHANGE II, ARMY OF THE VOID, featuring more new Gundams than you can shake a stick at, the arrival of the exiled Transformers (soon), Action, Passion, Mystery and Suspense. Plus, the evil known as Unicron finally arrives, and he's coming with a BANG!  
  
See ya'. 


End file.
